Relationship part 1
Fun fact: The word "relationship" is not found in the King James Version of the Bible. But it is in the Message Bible quite a bit. I want to start with 2 Corinthians 5:18, "All this comes from God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other." So once again, as always, its simply receiving and releasing the gift of God. He finished the work. He did all the heavy lifting. And now we get to enjoy the fruit of His labor. He settled our relationship with Him. Let's read the next verse and see how He did this. "God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing." He wiped the slate clean. So that we don't get tripped up or dragged down by our past. We all have baggage. But true relationship isn't about the need to hide, or defend, your baggage. True relationship is about someone who will help you unpack it. Someone who isn't afraid of helping you carry it. And once you understand that you're square with God--that He isn't holding anything against you--you can stop holding things against other people. You can settle your relationships with the people in your life. You can bury the hatchet, if that's what it takes. Or you can let go, if THAT'S what it takes. Sometimes people are only supposed to be in our lives for a season. Either a lesson or a blessing, right? But if you're carrying around anger, and bitterness, and hurt, and resentment then YOU are the one who is suffering. And I just wrote a big old Rant series (and did a Guerrlla Gospel video) about how we are not meant to suffer. So, again, sometimes that means repairing relationships. And sometimes that means letting them go. Either way, its about making peace. Blessed are the peacemakers, right? They shall be called (or identified as) the Son(s) of God. Because that's what love does: It produces peace. Even though sometimes it seems like the hardest thing in the world to do... even though sometimes it seems like letting go is giving up... sometimes that's the only way to get peace. A dysfunctional relationship--or, worse, an abusive relationship--is not something you should force yourself to stay in. But, on the other side of the coin, some relationships ARE worth going to hell and back for. If I can say it that way. Sometimes all someone needs is a fresh start. A clean slate. And if that's the case, leave the past where it belongs. Don't keep bringing up old stuff. Move forward. Upward and God-ward. You can't build a relationship on the shaky ground of previous mistakes and hurts. You CAN build a relationship ONLY on the foundation of love. That's the only foundation that will stand. So don't worry about all this other stuff. Don't get bogged down by whatever else. Let me say it this way: If you want to build a relationship with someone... if you want it to work... you'll make it work. At the very least you'll try your hardest to make it work. You won't let things break it. You'll let people be who they are, not who they were, and you'll love them anyway!