Spiritual Village
They say, “It takes a village to raise a family.” But what about a spiritual village?
So many of us are walking through life carrying heavy burdens, grief, disappointment, anxiety, betrayal and yet we feel like there is no safe place to land and no one to reach out to.
I know this personally. I’ve watched people, including myself, go through painful seasons while feeling completely alone, even while surrounded by church walls.
For many, church hurt has created deep wounds. Instead of finding refuge, people have encountered gossip; instead of grace, correction without compassion; and prayers that felt more performative than personal.
Too often, the heart of Christ is missing, and a servant’s heart is replaced with judgment. When that happens, the place meant to heal becomes the place that harms.
There was a season when I believed I had a village, a spiritual family I could lean on. When that fell apart without warning, I felt lost and confused, but I wasn’t deterred. I made a decision to trust God with my healing and with my discernment. I asked Him to rebuild what was broken and to show me what true spiritual community really looks like.
Scripture reminds us that we can go directly to God with our requests: “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). Yet the Bible also tells us, “Do not forsake the assembling of ourselves together” (Hebrews 10:25). This creates a tension many believers feel deeply; what happens when the hurt and betrayal are directly tied to the assembly itself?
The truth is, God never intended community to be a place of harm. The early church was built on shared lives, shared burdens, and shared love. “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship… All the believers were together and had everything in common” (Acts 2:42–44). This was not perfection, but it was presence. Not performance, but participation.
I do believe it is possible to find or even build a true spiritual village, though it may be rare. A spiritual village isn’t defined by titles, platforms, or proximity. It’s defined by fruit. Love that covers. Grace that restores. Accountability that heals instead of humiliates. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).
Creating a safe, loving, and spiritual village starts with us. It requires humility, discernment, and intentionality. It looks like being slow to speak and quick to listen (James 1:19). It means carrying one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2) and choosing prayer over gossip. It’s showing up consistently, even when it’s inconvenient. And most importantly, it’s allowing Christ to be the center, not our egos, wounds, or opinions.
If you’ve been hurt, know this: God sees you. He is not intimidated by your pain or offended by your questions. He is gentle with the brokenhearted and faithful to restore what people mishandled. As you heal, trust Him to bring the right people into your life those who reflect His heart and walk with integrity.
A spiritual village may not look like what you imagined, but when it’s built on love, truth, and Christ, it will be exactly what you need.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for being our refuge when people fail us. Thank You for hearing our cries and holding our hearts when we feel alone. Heal every wound caused by betrayal, rejection, and misunderstanding within Your church. Restore our trust in You first, and then teach us how to trust wisely again.
Lord, help us to build spiritual villages that reflect Your heart safe places marked by love, humility, prayer, and truth. Give us discernment to recognize genuine community and courage to be vessels of grace for others. Where there has been hurt, bring healing. Where there has been isolation, bring connection.
We surrender our expectations to You and ask You to lead us into relationships that honor You and nurture our souls.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.