God Created Us For Healthy Relationships

Are Good, Solid, Joy-Filled Relationships Even Possible?

The good news is YES!

The Bible makes that very clear. When God created Adam and Eve, His intent was for them to have a wonderful, God-honoring relationship

Sin, however, introduced a divide between Adam and Eve, disrupting the harmonious fellowship bestowed upon them by God. Consequently, every relationship has since borne the marks of sin.

Yet, the good news prevails—Jesus Christ arrived to restore our relationships. Primarily, His sacrificial death on the cross reconciles us with God, offering forgiveness for all our sins and establishing a familial connection with God as our loving Father.

Additionally, Jesus extends His transformative touch to our relationships with others. He imparts a supernatural strength, enabling us to love one another genuinely and to treat each individual with the utmost dignity and respect.

Through the redemptive work of Jesus, our fractured relationships find healing and renewal.

Indicators of a Healthy Relationship

What characterizes a healthy relationship? What guidance does the Bible offer on how we ought to treat one another?

Love

Love stands as the cornerstone of strong relationships. It holds great significance and should be a defining characteristic of who we are as Christians

In John 13:34-35, Jesus said to His disciples,

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

God has demonstrated His profound love for us by sending Jesus to save us. We are called to love others just as God has loved us.

1 Peter 4:8 Says

“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for ‘love will cover a multitude of sins.”

When we operate out of love, we are able to work through struggles and difficulties. We can forgive and extend mercy toward one another.

If you want your relationships to be stronger, start to pray that they will be filled with love. As you grow in modeling Christ-like love, you’ll start to see your relationships be transformed.

Humility

Humility emerges as the second crucial element in fostering healthy relationships. In embodying humility, we demonstrate a willingness to listen to the perspectives and ideas of others.

A humble attitude refrains from condescension and embraces the ability to acknowledge and rectify our own mistakes.

1 Peter 5:5 says

"Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Humility doesn’t mean you have low self-esteem or think of yourself as a loser. It simply means thinking rightly about yourself. Humility causes us to realize that we’re just like everyone else.

We don’t understand everything and we’re prone to making mistakes. We don’t always see everything clearly and can learn from others.

Why should we be humble? Because God pours out His grace on the humble. He stands against those who are proud but bestows great blessings on the humble.

If you want to see growth in your relationships, begin to ask God to help you grow in humility. Ask Him to help you value others and not think too highly of yourself.

Service

 Jesus Himself is our model of service. When He came to earth, He didn’t demand that others serve Him. Rather, He dedicated Himself to serving others.

Mark 10:45 says

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Despite being the Son of God and the King of Kings, Jesus assumed the role of a servant during His time on Earth. His days were dedicated to healing the sick and extending blessings to the poor.

In an act of profound humility, He humbly washed the feet of His disciples, exemplifying a servant's heart. The pinnacle of His humility was revealed through the ultimate sacrifice—laying down His life on the cross to offer salvation from our sins.

The world has never witnessed such a remarkable display of humility as demonstrated by Jesus.

The best relationships are those where each person seeks to serve the other. Instead of fighting to get their own way, each person looks first to the interests and desires of the other.

Ask the Lord to help you grow in service. Ask Him for the grace to put others ahead of yourself.

Forgiveness

Jesus has forgiven all of our sins.

Given the abundant forgiveness we've received from God, it is only fitting that we extend forgiveness to others.

Refusing to forgive leads to the bitter outcome of holding grudges, denying grace to those who have wronged us. Such an attitude is deeply hurtful to God and has the potential to ruin relationships.

There's a well-known saying that holding onto a grudge is akin to consuming rat poison while expecting the rat to suffer. Unforgiveness is a toxic force that corrodes us from within and damages relationships.

Forgiveness may be a challenging journey, especially when deeply wounded by someone. It's not an instantaneous process, but with God's assistance, you can progress toward forgiveness. He can empower you to release grudges and extend forgiveness.

Just as Jesus, while being nailed to the cross, sought forgiveness for the soldiers, you can receive the same strength in your own life from Him.

Patience

The truth is, every individual is prone to making mistakes. We each struggle with our unique challenges and hardships. To cultivate profound and meaningful relationships, it is imperative that we exercise patience with one another.

Our ability to be patient with others finds its foundation in God's patience toward us. He refrains from treating us solely based on our sins, displaying remarkable patience as we gradually grow in righteousness.

Progress in certain aspects of our lives may take years, yet God doesn't hold our pace against us. He steadfastly stands beside us, demonstrating love and support every step of the way.

Psalm 103:8

“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in mercy.”

We should extend patience to others considering how patient God is. We refrain from demanding immediate change and avoid adopting a "my way or the highway" mentality. In moments of conflict, we approach resolution with patience.

In the pursuit of greater patience, seek God's assistance. Ask Him to aid in your growth and to continually remind you of His patience with you. As patience becomes a more integral part of your character, your relationships will inevitably be fortified and enriched.

God's love differs significantly from the love found in the world.

Depending on your experience, you may wonder if healthy relationships are even possible. There’s a lot of brokenness in the world.

The worldly perspective often declares, "I'll love you if you are worth loving," whereas God says, "I love you even when you're at your worst." The world may express, "I'll love you if you love me," while God says, "I love you unconditionally."

By sacrificially loving others, we effectively portray to the world the nature of God. This underscores the immense importance of love for Christians.

Our lives should serve as a visible reflection of God when others look at us.

Imago Dei