I get to lead young adult girls in a weekly bible study and right now we are going through the book of Ephesians, such a powerful book that reveals the heart of God for us and practical ways to walk in it. As I read through Ephesians 2, verses 1-10 they are all about what our lives were like before Jesus, who we were when Jesus found us, and who we now get to be – living in the purpose he planned for us long ago. But it was the verses following it that revealed such a powerful message on the power of unified sisterhood in Christ.

Do you ever find yourself in a moment of life when the world around you seems to be living in the prayers that you have been praying for? Or hungering for the perspective in your mind to be one that sees what God is doing in your life so you can live with a heart of gratitude, full of excitement for what Jesus is doing in your friends lives. At Live Original Conference we focused on the theme of Give Me Eyes to See. A simple yet beautiful prayer that could change the way you live your life when you truly let the Lord give you eyes to see it for what it is instead of comparing it to others. How easy it is to pray this prayer but not allow it to take root in our hearts.

The following verses are what opened my eyes to the wisdom of God that is so timely for us and our communities today.

Ephesians 2:12-16 says:

“12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace,16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.”

The example of unity in these verses is one that calls our hearts higher as sisters and friends to one another. Satan’s heart for God’s people is disunity. God’s heart for his people is unity. We were once separated from God, excluded from heavenly citizenship, without hope, and without God. Now we have been brought near by the blood of Christ in order that we may be unified with Jesus and with the body of Christ. This body of Christ is also our communities, our families, our environments.

How quickly we can neglect this perspective and fall prey to the enemy’s tactics to create disunity in our friendships, families, work places, social media, and many other places of our life that he creeps in.

How does this passage apply to the power of sisterhood? Living a life of unity in our relationships begins with realizing that we can find value in all people. We can find value in all seasons, even the one you are in right now compared to where you may want to be. God does not run out of favor and blessing. Just because you see it in the life of the girl next you does not mean it has not always been present in yours too. Why would we allow comparison and jealousy to disunify what God has brought together? Each person on earth, a child of God, made in the image of God, the same image you were made in. Find ways to love girls, invite girls, and cheer girls on. My grandmother always reminds me that if I am walking through a hard season, there is a good chance the girl next to me is too. I have begun to notice that if I feel disunity in any relationship, there’s a good chance God wants to use it and the disunity is just Satan’s way of destroying the godly potential of it. The devil’s greatest desire is to destroy kingdom shifting potential in relationships by separating them.

What is the foundation of disunifying relationships? Gossip, resentment, and jealousy can oftentimes be at the root of what is causing our broken relationships. What does the Bible value that we can implement to create unity in our relationships? We see communication, love, and forgiveness in the process of unity and reconciliation in relationships.

Jesus is building us up together as a holy temple for the glory of God, but building blocks can not be built without being built together, side by side, connected to the foundation of God with the cornerstone of Christ. Where in your life is the enemy trying to create disunity? With who in your life is the enemy trying to create disunity? What is one thing you can do today to invite biblical unity into your life? Today is where we begin to walk in the sisterhood God planned for us long ago!

Scarlet is a speaker and writer from Birmingham, Alabama. Passionate about helping other girls go from wanting to walk with Jesus to knowing how, Scarlet founded a girls ministry called Feel The Smile that gives biblical encouragement for practical struggles through in person gatherings and online resources. Scarlet seeks to share the true heart of Jesus with people everywhere through her blog, podcast, and social media platforms. In her free time you can find her spending time with family, teaching girls about Jesus, making new friends at coffee, or window shopping!