Feeling known can be one of the most obviously-missing realities of cross-cultural living. Or at least one of the slowest to arrive. It’s hard to define or quantify, but we know it when we have it. And when we don’t.

When we moved to our current country of service, we didn’t know anyone. In our previous country, we worked on a team that functioned as built-in community, even from the beginning when we had no community with nationals. But this time we were the first from our organization in our city, and that meant starting from scratch. Perhaps many of you have faced or are facing this same situation. You step off the plane and wonder if you’ll ever make one friend, much less several. Will people ever really know me here?

The desire for community is a natural one; after all, we were created in the image of a Triune God! Our personalities give us as individuals varying degrees of need for social interaction; however, as image-bearers we’re hardwired for it, and the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed to us the negative effects of living without it! The blessing of a good friend brings much joy to our hearts; by contrast, the lack of deep fellowship can produce profound loneliness.

God established the Church as the community of His people, the place where we as His children worship Him corporately and share our lives with one another. Living in community, even in the context of the Church, can be challenging but also the source of great blessing. When we lack this specific type of community as God’s children, we feel the void.

Despite being created for community and being commanded to live in it in the context of the Church, God never meant for earthly community, earthly friends, to bring us ultimate fulfillment. No one in this life can love us perfectly, know us fully, or satisfy us completely. God created us for Himself, and in relationships here on earth we have a foretaste of the perfect communion and community that wait for us in heaven. 1 Corinthians reminds us that we “are fully known” by our Father – what a comfort that truth is to our hearts!