David prayed an insightful and powerful prayer to God…

Psalm 139:23–24…  Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

All of this we have talked about is going to require God’s help.  Pray this prayer of David’s… every day this week.  Ask God to look inside you and help you sort out your problems with attaching to others.

Every moment you come to an emotional four-way-stop… a place where you can allow your distorted thinking to take over… a place where you can push people away… a place where you can get defensive and step back… or a choice to take the risk of relationship… ask God to help you because you can’t make the wise choice alone.

Confess to God your desire to avoid bonding and ask God’s Spirit to help you.  Relyon Him because He can begin to make the changes that will lead you toward health.

Connecting deeply with others is saying yes to life.  It is saying yes to God and it is saying yes to others.  Our habit of saying no to relationships has kept us isolated and we do it in many ways.  We quickly hide behind our old patterns and say no.  When we avoid people we are saying no.  When we make excuses for why we can’t… we are saying no.  Stepping into real relationships requires that we begin to say yes to love and relationships.  It means we begin accepting invitations to be with people instead of isolating ourselves.  It means risking openness and conversation when a safe person asks you, “How are you doing?”  It means sharing in the hurts and emotions of others in a small group.  It means you begin to say yes to the opportunity of relationship.

New small groups will be forming soon.  Only you can say yes for you.