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There was a young woman who became engaged and then found out her fiancé didn’t believe the way she did. So she went crying to her mother and said, “Mom, what should I do? How can I change his thinking? He says he doesn’t even believe in hell.” But the mother just said, “Honey, that’s all right. You marry him and by the time we’re finished with him, he will believe in hell.”
By the time his wife and mother-in-law get through with him, he’ll know there is a hell! Now that makes for a good joke, but that’s not the way we’re supposed to enter into relationships. Our connection with someone has to come from the Spirit within us. That’s our guiding force.
We want to please God with our fellowship with others more than we want to please ourselves. What He wants for us is more important, and here’s why. It’s because God will make sure the people with whom we connect will cause the best to come out of us.
Your relationships should bring out the best in you.
I just heard from a man who is watching this happen in his relationships. As he is allowing God to direct him in the people with whom he’s associating, it’s amazing what it’s doing. It’s helping how he thinks about himself and what he can do. So he said that he is breaking through the trouble he’s had with relationships.
For a while he kept himself isolated from people because he didn’t have confidence or direction. But he says that God has directed him to so many meetings with people that he is now ready to be who he was made to be.
Since he’s been dealing with this problem, his confidence has grown and his mind is becoming clear and he can see who he desires to be. He says he wants to have the morals and values and character that would be the kind to make your parents proud.
See, he’s starting to make connections and have fellowship with people who are causing the best to come out of him—confidence and a desire to have good character and values. That’s the kind of relationships we want. Ones that will help us conquer the issues in us. Not add to them. You know how some people do that. They add to the issues and problems you’re dealing with. Who needs that? You want someone who will show you the wise way. The one that will benefit you and help you experience what God wants to do in your life.
You know how it is to have a friend with whom you can do that? You can sit and talk and share things that enrich your spirit and your mind.
Relationships can take you down or build you up.
There are some people you sit and talk with and after you get up and walk away, you feel down. It’s as if you want to shake off the whole conversation. That doesn’t bring out the best in you. You need the kind of friend that can be fun but still beneficial in their words and actions toward you. Yes, God wants you to have fun with people but not when it’s detrimental.
You know you don’t get away undamaged if you have a friend or associate who is not good for you. You think it’s bouncing off but it’s not. It’s going in your spirit. You need someone who can help you choose the right direction so you end up with the blessings of God. Make sure you have the right people surrounding you and feeding into your thoughts and emotions, so they can cause the best to come out of you.
God has created the different types of relationships you should have. Yes, He has designed every connection you are to have with someone.
That’s how you should approach people. Is this someone to whom God has planned for me to become connected? If you don’t get a witness in your spirit, run the other way. Because instead of the best being brought out of you, it will end up in damage of some kind.
First Corinthians chapter 8 says our relationships are to edify and build up and encourage us to grow to our full stature. (Ref. I Corinthians 8:1.) In other words, become all you can be. Be the best. That’s a healthy relationship. You’re edified. Built up. Encouraged to grow. You become the best for God in every part of your personality.
So start viewing those around you with spiritual awareness. Allow the Holy Spirit to show you who is best and also show you those that you can help. Most of all, you will please God with the people allowed to be near you. That’s the greatest benefit of healthy relationships.
Spiritual Powerline to say out loud:
“I HAVE THE BEST RELATIONSHIPS!”
Here is a powerful prayer to say out loud:
Lord, I ask You to direct me in all my relationships. If someone is connected with me that You don’t want to be a part of my life, help me to know what to do about it. Send people that You have planned for me. I want to experience Your blessing on my relationships. I will have the best of what You have planned for me and for others. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
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