I am a Bible study girl. Digging into the rich text of the Holy Scripture fills me with excitement and the desire to know Christ more. I am also a too-much-is-on-my-plate girl. I enjoy digging into the Word so much that I often get involved with multiple Bible studies at once. That’s when I find myself frustrated and overwhelmed, desperately trying to understand what I am meant to take away from each one.

Recently, I had come to the point where I found myself committed to a one year Bible reading plan, a small group Bible study with my local church, a Bible study with a group of local homeschool moms and an online Bible study through Hello Mornings. All of these are in addition to teaching youth Sunday school each week, which is another study, as well as teaching my boys scripture at home.  And not to mention all the devotional tools – books, blogs, apps. Too many choices, too many chances to let someone down.  I realized that a few of these would be ending within a matter of days/weeks.  At that point, I chose to keep up with my reading plan, and my pastor (hubby) had asked me to lead a ladies small group on Sunday evenings.  Besides teaching youth, and my kiddos, my daily reading and the ladies study would be all for me.

A few days later a sweet friend asked if I would like to join her in a study through the Proverbs 31 Ministries First 5 app. I honestly struggled to tell her I just couldn’t do it. As much as I wanted to jump in and not let her down, I could feel myself crumbling under the weight of “just one more”. So I stuck with my no.  However, I do periodically read the devotional aspect of the study on the First 5 app.

This morning the words of Hebrews 2:1 were powerful and convicting.  My thoughts raced back to that manilla paper hanging on the door of my free-standing closet in my parents home. The paper that had a cross outline and the words of Hebrews 2:3a that read,

“how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?”

And I think of all the ways I read that part of the scripture and judgmentally looked around at those who were not believers. I see the Pharisee me and the grace I so deeply needed. And I read the rest of that verse with hope and mercy this morning,

“This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.”

This is for the church. The encouragement and accountability we need comes from those who have heard him. This great salvation is ours and is for us to share with those around us. It is for us to confirm to others what we have seen and heard from Him. To encourage the church and build one another’s faith in Christ. To hold one another accountable to live according to what the Scripture teaches.

In order for us to encourage and hold one another accountable, we must be in The Word. Not just solo. We must be in The Word together, holding one another to what we have gleaned from Him as His church, recognizing our limitations and boundaries, and living in faith with freedom where, and how, He has confirmed to us through His Word.

How can you use the gifts He’s given you to encourage and build up the church?  Where do you need to recognize your boundaries or limitations and find freedom? What opportunities to build community/Christ-centered relationships within your local church do you need to make or take?