Relationships are so difficult to maintain and to have in life. We were created right from the beginning of time to be relational when God created Adam and Eve. Even Adam and Eve had there share of problems right from the beginning. I think one of the reasons our personal relationship with God struggles is because we tend to use our human relationships as the model and not the other way around. Think about it, if i have issues with my natural father, I may have a hard time relating to how God could be a father. If my personal intimate relationships don't work out, then I may extend that same doubt to God.
I think all through the bible we see a lot of different types of relationship. If you remember the story of Jacob, Leah and Rachel what a difficult situation to be in with all the parties involved. How must Leah of felt in the midst of this to go along with her father's plan to be deceitful to Jacob? She was marrying a man that loved another woman and her father was the cause of it. She must of initially, been heart broken, even though we know later she does bear Jacob's children. How must Leah of felt in that moment, her dad had set this horrible plan in motion? Both woman may have lost confidence in true love, lost confidence in their father's trust. How do they then look at God through the midst of this situation.? I could only imagine the doubt that had to arise for both women.
How do we get past the broken relationships in our life to have a full relationship with God? I think this is the struggle for most Christians even myself at times. I think when things don't go the way we want or plan, even if it's for a brief moment we may doubt. I think we all live in the place of the father in Mark 9:24, Lord I believe but help my unbelief.
As we journey to get to know God the father better, Jesus the son, and the Holy Spirit better, we have to know that it is a process. Just as we fall in love with earthly people a little bit at a time. Our love relationship with God is exactly the same. However, in reverse our earthly relationships can never be like our relationship with God. We can rest in the fact that God loves us, and we have to work at maintaining and growing closer to God daily.
Why do you believe relationships both earthly and spiritual are so difficult?
Vulnerability!!!!! To open one's self up exposing that which is good about us as well as the bad and the ugly places us in an extremely vurnerable position. In our earthly relationships, we a left to guard our hearts because of past hurts. There is no way possible for us to fully trust an earthly relationship because we are human with human flaws and we are not mind readers. On the other hand our spiritual relationship with God should be based on the attributes of God we find in the scriptures. God is faithful, loving and kind as well as our judge. But we can rest assured in Psalm 23 that God's rod of correction and staff of guidance will comfort us becase He is our creator. He knows our limits and how far we can and will go in our successes. We can be uninhibited in our vurnerability with God because God already knows the good, bad and uglyness of our lives.
ReplyDeleteAllowing ourselves to be vulnerable comes at a great risk, because we are letting people in, with no guarantee that they won't hurt us. However, if we are vulnerable with God, He will allow us to experience the fruits of the spirit which are found in Gal. 5:22(NLT)But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
ReplyDeleteWhat's great is knowing that if i'm vulnerable with God life may not be easier, but it will managable.
Love the blog! Lots to think about...
ReplyDeleteYeah being vulnerable is lots to think about, because we have all been through this journey called life with it's up's and down's. Thanks for joining.
ReplyDeleteKeep the comments coming, this is how we can all grow together. Bouncing thoughts and ideas with each other.
The whole process of becoming vunerable can leave you tired and frustrated while going through but very self aware and satisfied at the end of the journey.
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