Relationships Series

Let’s Talk About

“Relationships”

Truthfully, this could actually take a month full of Sunday’s to fully talk about relationships, because of the complexity of the subject, and the nature of these relationships, especially when it comes to our relationships with others and with God.

But what I’d like to do in our time together is to kind of give a cliff note edition.

Relationships are an area we all struggle with and in. They can reach the greatest heights, but also become some of our lowest lows. But if handled the way God has outlined, that is, the way of love, they can literally be the greatest experiences, and joys we can have.

But where love is missing, they can be extremely challenging, as it says in Galatians 5:15 that if we bite and tear at one another to devour, then we need to be careful that we don’t get consumed in the process.

Now, if we were perfect, then relationships would be easy, because we would never have to go through the difficulties and struggles that accompany them. So, when the trials and tribulations come in a relationship, when we’re overwhelmed by hurt and frustrations, and when we just don’t care anymore, what are we to do?

And so today, I’d like to talk about some practical advice about how to make relationships work, when everything around us is falling apart, as it is presently with the pandemic, which has basically cause civility to go right out the door.

1. Thank God for Differences

God made us to be different, as He said that such differences is what makes the church the body of Christ. None of us are the same. We even think and act differently.

Now, these differences can be the source of great delight, but also incredible agony. God made us different, and He did it on purpose. And He didn’t just do so physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. We think, work, shop, and even watch TV differently.

In fact, if we find someone who thinks just like us, we need to run the opposite direction. They’re an alien. It is also said that if two people agree on everything, one of them is unnecessary.

In fact, God created men and women to be different in marriage, but not to frustrate, which sometimes it seems like that, but He did so to complete and fulfill each other.

“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” (Romans 15:7 NIV)

So we need to thank God for how He has created us differently.

2. Go To God with Disappointments

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” (Ephesians 4:2 NIV)

Love always makes allowances, not excuses, but allowances. Now, that doesn’t mean that it’s okay to stay in whatever has messed us up. But what it does mean is that it’s okay to take the time necessary for relationships to work.

But to love and to make relationships work, we need to go to God where we’ll understand that none of us are perfect. And please understand that we’re all going to be disappointed in our relationships. I mean we think that we’re going to have a perfect marriage, house, yard, and kids, but life is not a hallmark card. Life is not perfect.

And so to get through we need to take these disappointments to God, because only God can meet those needs that no one else can, and that’s because no one is perfect, only God.

Speaking of love, Paul said that love “Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:7-8 NKJV)

And so, where do we find the strength to not give up, to endure though every circumstance? It’s only God. So we need to let Him give us the strength and power to love others. Because it’s only God’s love working in and through us that enables us to endure and never give up.

3. Trust God Instead of Feelings

Let me just say right off the bat that feeling are deceptive, and that’s because they can be manipulated by Satan, and therefore, feelings can and often do lie to us. And this is especially true when it comes to our relationships.

And so, instead of trusting our feelings we need to trust God, because He will never lie.

“God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good.” (Numbers 23:19 NKJV)

And so, if our relationships are going to survive, we have to choose to love, and not leave it up to the way we feel. And this can only take place when we trust God over our feelings.