(belonging)4 min readJuly 1, 2026

Beyond the Edges of Our Circles

By the Pace with Grace editorial team

Key Verse · Ephesians 2:19 (NIV)

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household”

We spend our lives drawing circles. Circles of friends, of family, of acquaintances. But what about the people on the outside, looking in?

The early church was made up of outsiders. People who didn't fit in, who were rejected by society. And yet, they found a new sense of belonging in each other.

“Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.”
Ephesians 2:19-20

This is the kind of belonging we're talking about. Not just a sense of fitting in, but a sense of being part of something bigger than ourselves.

So, what does it mean to be a fellow citizen with God's people? It means we're part of a community that's not defined by our social status, our job, or our relationships.

God, help me see the people on the outside, looking in. Help me be a source of belonging for those who feel like they don't fit in. Help me remember that I'm part of something bigger than myself. Amen.

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Beyond the Edges of Our Circles

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