My Declaration of In(ter)dependence

Dear God,

Please help me to recognize my need for interdependence today. In a world that relentlessly demands I embrace my independence, help me to realize you have a different plan for my life. Help me to remember your wisdom in Ecclesiastes chapter 4.

⁹ Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. ¹⁰ For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! ¹¹ Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? ¹² And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

In light of this wisdom from your word, dear God, I pray you will give me the sense and humility to listen to those you have placed around me in the body of Christ. Help them to speak into my life in love, and help me to speak into their lives in love. May we expose each other’s sinful failings, encourage each other’s discouraged hearts, and seek each other’s greatest good. Help me to live like interdependence is your ordained means of growing your church up into Christ, because it is.

¹⁵ Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, ¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love (Ephesians 4:15-16).

Open my eyes to realize independence is the easy way out. It is far more convenient for me to remain in my own bubble, to not deal with unpredictability and inconvenience, and to avoid the natural accountability and giving of self you have woven into the very fabric of interdependent relationships. You have told us, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). But I confess the idol of time has often ruled my heart. Please deliver me from the tyranny of the second hand and the illusion of efficiency.

Most of all, help me to view my interdependent relationships as opportunities to glorify you. It is not the relationships that I live for, but you my Lord. Please satisfy me in yourself as you use my brothers and sisters in Christ to point me to you.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.