Day 11 - Vision (Relationships)
>>Daily Theme | Vision (Physical Health + Healing)
>>Memory Scripture | Psalms 86:11-12
>>Read | John 17:1-26
>>Devotional Reading |
Since before the creation of man, God has been concerned about healthy relationships. After God formed Adam out of the dust, He reckoned that it was not good for man to be alone and made a helper suitable for him. Whether we like it or not we were created as relational beings.
As with anything that God has created, lack of understanding and vision on our part can cause something designed to be a blessing to actually become a curse. This is certainly true of relationships. The prophet Hosea declared that God’s people perish because of a lack of knowledge. Families can suffer because of a lack of biblical order in the family, quarrels can develop at workplaces due to competition and leaders can rule unjustly because of pride. All of these unhealthy relationships are rooted in a failure to understand God’s design. When we do not understand God’s design, we make relationships as idols, or worse, ignore relationships that we should be giving our attention to.
Jesus, in a heartfelt prayer in John 17, shared a part of his desire and vision for our relationships here on earth. Recognizing that his time had come to leave the earth, Jesus prayed for his disciples and believers, in general, that they would be one, as He and the Father were one. Jesus was faithful to the people that God brought to his life, He protected them, kept them safe and gave them the Word of the Lord. Preparing for His transition, he didn’t pray to take everyone from this world when He was going to depart, but that we would be protected from the evil one who desired to destroy relationships with selfish humanity. Jesus was entrusting God’s people into our hands.
The clearest way to destroy relationships is to give them purpose outside of God’s design. In this case, we either try to get something from a relationship that God never designed, or we miss out on something that we need that God placed in a relationship. Either way, when we miss the mark, we build unhealthy relationships.
How do we rectify this? We strive to understand God’s design for our relationships. As we begin the year, it is a good time to pray for those who are in our lives and to understand more about why they are in our lives. All of us need three levels of relationships: our peers, those who are pouring into us and those whom we are pouring into. While these levels will not always be equal in quantity, they quality of balance in these relationships will affect each of the levels. If we are pouring into too many people and not being poured into ourselves, we will soon dry up. If we only have peers, but no one that can pour into us, we may miss out on growing to new levels and new heights.
God desires for us to grow, especially in our relationships. Some of our most difficult relationships are a part of God’s design and some of our most cherished relationships can be co-dependent relationships. Ask God for vision in your relationships and to evaluate where you can grow in his design. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
>>Respond |
Assessing our relationships is difficult by design. Close relationships have an emotional attachment to our lives and we are quick to release relationships that might be a lot of work. Nevertheless, we still are responsible for seeing people in our lives according to God’s design. It takes faith in God and a desire to please him in everything that we do.
One of the first areas of vision is assessing the balance of our relationships. Do we have people in each of the three levels of relationship: our peers, those who are pouring into us and those whom we are pouring into? Another area of vision is assessing the various spheres of relationships: family, workplace, church, social and romantic. Are our relationships in each of these areas healthy and in order? What does God desire from your life regarding these spheres of relationships in 2011?
Finally, we must assess our faithfulness to prioritizing certain relationships. Are there relationships that God wants you to build even though they may be difficult relationships? Especially for believers, are there unsaved people in your life that God desires you to befriend? Also, are there any relationships that have deviated into relationship idols?
As you respond today, ask God to help you see the relationships that He has ordained, be faithful to those relationships and order those relationships according to His design.
>>Reflect | Journal or pray through these questions
*Adapted from Experiencing God by Claude King.
- What has God revealed to you about Himself?
- What has God revealed to you about His purposes?
- What has God revealed to you about His ways?
- What has God revealed to you about yourself?
- What has God revealed to you about your priorities?
- What has God revealed to you about your relationship with Him?
- What guidance has God revealed to you about your circumstances?
- What adjustments is God asking you to make (start doing _______, stop doing ___________, continue doing ___________).
- What can you thank God for today?
- What further steps of obedience do you know God wants you to take?
>>Next Steps |
Pray
I will pray about __________________ consistently, asking for ability, guidance, and discipline to listen + obey by God’s strength
Ask
I will ask the Holy Spirit to help me to ____________________
thanksgiving
I will thank God for ____________________
obedience
I will start ______________________
