READ: PROVERBS 27:17 ; 1 THESSALONIANS 5:10-18; HEBREWS 10:24-25; 1 JOHN 1:7

We serve an incredibly intentional God. Even though God alone can satisfy our needs, He still designed us to be in Christ-centered community. The most natural place to seek that community is in a local church. But what if the youth group feels exclusive or there aren’t many teens in the congregation?

As a teen, church was a lonely place for me. It was difficult to connect with other teens during the service, and most of them didn’t attend my school. At youth group, it felt like everybody was already satisfied with their existing friendships. And when there were changes in church leadership, the number of teens in the congregation shrank.

Then at last, in my junior year of high school, God gave me the courage to participate in more youth events, reach out to the teens who served alongside me, and even start a Bible study with those new friends. Several strangers transformed into what I believe will be lifelong friends.

While churches are meant to resemble the family of God, we live in a broken world where no perfect community exists. However, we are still called to pursue community because God designed us to grow together and encourage each other, and through Jesus’s death and resurrection, He places us in His family together. In fact, we can even experience God’s presence through healthy relationships with other believers.

God offers to guide us and comfort us as we pursue godly friendships. He calls us to be prayerful about who we invest time in and what kinds of friendships we seek, relying on Him to help us every step of the way. While this process still takes courage, the blessing of godly community is worth it. • Hannah Chung

• Do you have godly friends in your life who encourage you to become who God has created you to be? If so, how can you prioritize these friendships? If not, consider how God might be calling you to connect with other believers. Even though this may require going out of your comfort zone, it helps to remember that God is with you and will provide everything you need.

• If you’re already part of a godly community, is there anyone God is calling you to invite into this community, perhaps someone who might otherwise be overlooked?

• Consider taking a moment to talk to God about all this and ask Him to help you notice opportunities to invest in godly friendships in your life. Write down whatever comes to mind.

[Jesus said,] “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20 (NIV)