The room flickers with the light coming from the television on the wall. An assorted group of friends and acquaintances sit hip to hip on the limited number of available cushions. Some have taken to laying on the strangely inviting floor, and inevitably a few of them get some unintentional shut eye. Jokes and commentary are thrown around by those who enjoy an extra layer of dialogue to their films. People arrive and depart spontaneously throughout the night constantly changing the dynamic of the group while the core feeling remains the same. Every night is full of possibilities and doesn't have a set start or finish. This is where friends are made, this is where community is born.
There is a gentle buzz about this eatery. People are enjoying their sandwiches along with the others they surround themselves with. A quaint fireplace occupies one of the corners here with a collection of cushioned benches and seats. It is in front of this fireplace that men and women are coming together to discuss and discover together what it means to live life side by side using love and respect. This is were barriers are destroyed, this is where community thrives.
I would give so much to return to that state of community. To be actively pursing God as a body of believers that values and appreciates every one of it's members as much as the next. Something has been lost, The balance is off, and it breaks my heart because I don't know how to remedy it. I am currently praying that God would bring restoration and peace. But it's very discouraging to feel as if everyone else is satisfied with the way things are, to feel as if I'm alone in this pursuit. Would God "disrupt" their satisfaction and bring restoration if they really don't believe it needs to happen or even want it to? I haven't been able to come up with an answer, but I will continue to pray non the less. I miss being in true community and I refuse to believe that it was a once in a lifetime experience.
