Prayer to Function in Community

Beloved, do you long for godly community? If so, you’re not alone. God made us all to function in community with one another: to share life together, to have real friendships, and to function in all our spiritual gifts together, each one using his or her gifts for the betterment of all.

So many people find themselves isolated in the Body of Christ, but isolation was never God’s plan for you.

When I say “isolated,” I don’t mean that you are never around people. Instead, I am referring to what happens when:

• You feel alone all the time, even if you are around other people sometimes;
• You haven’t been able to connect with a local church as a functioning part of the Body;
• Even if you do attend church regularly, you may still feel as if you are only an observer, instead of being used by God;
• You may feel in church like you are only there to warm a pew and tithe, but nobody wants you to use your spiritual gifts to actually contribute to the Body there.

Sometimes, people even feel isolated when they are connected to a local church Body, and they do have friends, BUT they still feel isolated because even though they are serving, they aren’t actually serving in the area of their spiritual gifts. And that can still be a very painful thing.

But, beloved, you weren’t made to do life alone.

You and I were created to live in community: to share our lives together with other members of the Body of Christ, enjoying close personal relationships AND fruitful service in the area of your gifts. And when we find a place to plug in like that, suddenly becoming a functioning part of the Body of Christ, all of a sudden a deep blessing and rich fulfillment come to your heart and life.

Look at what God’s Holy Spirit Himself wrote in Psalm 133:

“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, running down on the beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing—life forevermore” (Psalm 133:1-3 NKJV).

O beloved. God can and will do anything for you if you will ask Him.

Remember what He said in John 14:14:

“If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” (John 14:14 NKJV).

And if you feel isolated, God will help you function in Biblical community. You don’t have to keep feeling or being isolated. It is not God’s will for you to do life alone.

So, what do you do? How do you find Biblical community?

Simply pray and ask the Lord for help. Then, step out and take action to try different ways to connect (different service opportunities, making new friends, et cetera) until you find just the place God has for you.

You were made to “do life” with others, friend. And you are not a mistake in the Body of Christ. You were made to function fully in your gifts; you were made to be a living, breathing part of this entity that Christ Himself indwells on the earth.

Do you long for true Biblical community with other believers, everyone operating in their gifts, and everyone sharing their lives in harmony and unity with God and one another?

If so, pray this prayer to function in community today:

“Dear Heavenly Father,

I come before You in Jesus’ name.

Abba Father, I need Your help right now. And I humbly ask that Holy Spirit would pray through me and for me with moanings and groanings that cannot be uttered, according to Romans chapter 8; and that You Who search the hearts would know what the mind of the Spirit is, for He makes intercession according to the will of God.

Abba Father, in Jesus’ name, I earnestly entreat Your help right now.

I’m so lonely, Father. I’m lonely for community, and I’m lonely and longing for a chance to function in the Body of Christ.

Lord, every time I get a chance to use my spiritual gifts in community with Your people, it means so much to me. It is one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever experienced, and I thank You for that.

But, Abba Father, although I’m grateful for every chance You have given me to function using my gifts within Your Body, the Body of Christ–I’m yearning so desperately yearning for more opportunity.

And I really don’t even want just opportunity, Father; I am earnestly desirous of more than that.

Opportunity is great, and I thank You for every opportunity You have given me. But we were made to function together as a lifestyle, as one in Christ Jesus, Father. You made me like I am, and You gave me these gifts, and You also gave spiritual gifts to all the people around me, both near and far.

And Father, I need those people and they need me; we all need each other … not for flesh’s sake, but because You created us to be parts of the Body, and to need one another so that Christ can be manifest in all of us when we work and labor and travail together and encourage one another in You.

O Abba Father, I am desperate for community.

I am desperate to fit in somewhere with Your people, using my spiritual gifts for Your sake, and benefiting from the synergy and unity that comes when all of us Your people find ourselves gathered together in Your name–even when only two or three of us gather and agree together.

My dear Abba Father, my only Hope …

Please open the doors for me to dwell in unity and community with Your people:

• Please make a way where there seems to be no way.
• Please open doors that no man can open, and which no man can ever close.
• Please help me to walk right through the open doors You have for me.
• Help me to hunger and thirst after righteousness, and please honor the hunger and thirst for righteousness that I already have; and let me be filled! You promised me You would fill me up with rich fulfillment, Father; please do it!
• Please bring me into the pleasant land that Your Word talks about when you said, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1 NKJV).
• Bring me a spiritual family, Father; a family I can dwell together with (even though we won’t live in the same house); a family that I can function together with, so that we are together the full and blessed manifestation of the Body of Christ.

O Heavenly Father, I am wrecked for You, and for Your work, and for Your people.

I love Your people so much, God. And I miss them when I am not with them. My soul yearns to dwell together with my sisters and brothers in Christ!

I can’t be fully happy or fulfilled doing life alone. And Lord, it’s not because You aren’t enough, for You ARE enough. But, I feel this way because You engineered me to fit in with Your Body somewhere, somehow, operating in our gifts TOGETHER and sharing life together.

You are all I need, Lord, but You MADE me to fit with others, and to seek You together. Community was Your idea, and Body ministry was Your idea, and You made us each with different gifts and graces, to encourage one another and love each other and share life together.

O Holy Father, please keep me through Your name.

It’s hard to live in this world sometimes, Lord. I am so grateful for Who You are, and for everything You’ve done, and for how You sustain me.

But, I am still asking–no, begging–You to lead me and guide me into pleasant places where I can function using the gifts You have given me, and that You would keep me emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and physically while You have me en route to that place. Keep me stable and happy and my eyes fixed on You, for that is the only way I will even make it through the process.

Father, I can’t survive without community–and I’m calling on You in faith, because You made us to dwell together.

My soul and spirit longs to be with Your people in genuine unity, togetherness, and heart-and-spirit-level connection. Please help me:

• Please open up doors that only You could open;
• Lead me and guide me;
• Make a way where there is no way; and
• Help me to dwell together in unity with my brothers and sisters in Christ, humbly serving one another and seeking You together.

Please show me what to do to get there, Father, and open doors supernaturally for this to happen. And, as You do, I pray that You would provide quickly and abundantly for me to walk through those doors.

Thank You, Abba Father. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen and amen.”

Friend, do you yearn to operate in godly community? Do you want to live a life that is shared with others, in which every member of the Body of Christ functions as they were created to do? Did you pray this prayer to function in community today? If so, leave a comment below!