In my early experience as a believer, I struggled to understand my place in the Christian community. I began attending church with my girlfriend (Heather—now my wife) at First Baptist Church in King’s Mountain. The people there were kind, and it was a wonderful church. Still, I didn’t fully grasp what it meant to live in genuine community with other believers.

After a couple of years, we changed churches and joined a small church plant. That only lasted a year before I found myself growing restless again. The next church we discovered was full of promise and hope, and for the first time, I began to truly settle into my role as a member of the body. We built strong relationships, formed accountability with trusted friends, and started contributing meaningfully to the life of the church.

But then things changed. Quiet meetings started happening behind closed doors. Whispers of discontent filled the air. People were unhappy—and they made their opinions known. Eventually, a large group of people left, including many of our friends. We stayed, hoping to be part of the solution and to preserve unity.

Sadly, our experience is not unique. Ever since the fall in the garden, every relationship has come at a cost. And the blessings that healthy God-honoring relationships bring into our lives are found through pain, resilience, and humility. And yet, despite the brokenness that began in Eden, Jesus has made a way for us to come together in a community marked by love and unity—His Church.

When we follow His commands and allow Him to heal our hearts, we are blessed with relationships that testify to His presence in our lives. As Jesus prayed in John 17:21, “...that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you... so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

It should not surprise us that those without Christ are divided. What should startle us more is when division exists among those who know Him. May our relationships with one another, rooted in His Church, reflect the life-changing presence of Jesus—and stand as a living testimony of His grace.