1-Year Bible Reading Series for Healthy Living (November: Relationships)

Welcome Back!  This month we will explore what the Bible teaches about Relationships.  

Do you wish you could build meaningful relationships or make your relationships stronger?  Do you struggle in knowing how to be authentic, vulnerable, or loyal?  Would you like to expand your social circle in ways that will enrich your life and give you more opportunities to share the Gospel with unbelievers?

Relational connectivity is meant to be deep, mutually satisfying, and supportive.  God designed people to live in community - in fellowship with each other.  Loving one another is the Lord’s second greatest commandment (Matthew 12:30-31). 

Along with His command comes guidelines, power, and inspiration to carry it out.  And, for me personally, it’s a good thing because without God’s help I wouldn’t have the relationships I do.  So, join me in delving into God’s Word and see how it can help you cultivate stronger relationships. 

Are you ready to get started growing closer to God and improving your life?

Let’s go…

November - Relationships

Knowing how to have healthy relationships is a key component of a fulfilling life.  Whether you are a spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend, friend, parent, coworker, neighbor, or sibling, you will receive many blessings by learning and practicing God’s way of relating to people.  

There are countless benefits of having meaningful relationships, including improvements in health, increased longevity of life, and higher levels of the hormone oxytocin from which comes a sense of wellbeing.  [For more, check out:  American Heart Association and Mental Health America which speak extensively about the importance of social connectivity.] 

The Bible teaches how our lives become more abundant when fellowship is present.  Some examples include: support in times of need (Galatians 6:2), companionship (Romans 15:24), comfort (2 Corinthians 7:5-6), personal growth (Proverbs 27:17), and partnership (Philippians 1:3-5).

In this month’s Scripture readings, spend some time meditating on and praying about the lessons God has for you in the areas of love, commitment, forgiveness, and boundaries.  Ask a loved one to participate in the reading plan with you.  You will enjoy many blessings in doing so.  

Week 1:  Love

Love is the foundation of every healthy relationship.  It is imperative to understand that love begins with God.  We cannot give what we do not have and so to give love, it must first be received by God (1 John 4:19).  Without the security of knowing you are fully known and fully loved by your Father in heaven, there will always be an element of self-serving motivations that will undermine your relationships.  This week will be an opportunity to receive God's love as expressed in His Word.

What is love, exactly?  In these Bible readings, be inspired by how much God loves you and gain a vision from Him of what your relationships can look like.  

Week 2:  Commitment

Developing thriving lifelong relationships requires commitment.  It is a secret ingredient that transforms “transactional relationships” to “agape friendships.”  

Commitment to others begins with devotion to God.  Without a core belief that God’s ways are true and right (and that we are meant to worship and follow Him), flawed personal perceptions, feelings, and judgments will dictate decisions.  In relationships, that is a recipe for heartbreak.  By being devoted first to God, you will have the motivation and power to follow His instructions in how to preserve and reinforce your relationships.  

Have you experienced betrayal?  Do you find it difficult to make commitments?  Do you want to deepen your relationships?  This week, let God speak healing and inspiration into your life through these Scriptures.

Week 3:  Forgiveness

Relationships are messy; and they can often feel risky.  Is there an alternative?  Well, yes and no, not really.  Some might suggest that it is best to keep people at a distance rather than allow themselves to be hurt.  But, this way of life is even more devastating than the pain that can come from hurtful people in your life.  Though you are bound to be hurt from time to time,  “‘tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all” (Alfred Tennyson).

Knowing that people will hurt and be hurt by each other, God has given many instructions on forgiveness.  A life without forgiveness is a life of bitterness, loneliness, and unhappiness.  

God wants your life to be full of love.  As you read this week’s passages, ask God to heal all the broken places in your mind and heart so that you can receive the fullness of His love, share it freely with others, and soak in the love others have for you.

Week 4+:  Boundaries

Relationships are only as strong as they are good.  While there are no perfect relationships, some can be healthier than others.  

Boundaries allow people to have autonomy while fostering inter-dependence.  Not co-dependence where people become overly enmeshed and not independence where people become too separated from each other.

Boundaries include things like mutual respect, freedom of choice, and personal identity.  [For more, check out Dr. Henry Cloud’s article: Becoming Separate - Creating Healthy Boundaries.] .

Where to Go From Here

Healthy human relationships begin with devotion to God.  The Lord must always be the center.  By seeking Him through Scripture, prayer, and Christian fellowship, you will receive help in building deep, rich, meaningful relationships that nurture you soul.  

Keep these Bible readings and refer back to them often so that you can practice and have more love, commitment, forgiveness, and healthy boundaries.

Who in your life has been your best example of love?  Tell us about him or her in the Comment section below!

We're coming up on the end of the year.  For many of us, it is a time not just of celebrating the Lord but also of reflecting on the year past and dreaming about the year ahead.  Join me in December when we will look at what God says about making plans for the future.  The plans He has for you are good!

See you tomorrow!

Articles in this series:  January - Fitness     February - Sleep & Rest     March - Nutrition  April - Stress Management    May - Recreation     June - Family    July - Work    August - Faith    September - Finances    October - Mindset    November - Relationships    December - Making Plans    

Would you like to read more about developing meaningful relationships? 

Check out these resources:

Articles:

1. Why Don’t We Have Good Friends?
2. Made For Relationship
3. If Paul Needed Friends, So Do We
4. Becoming Separate - Creating Healthy Boundaries
5. 7 Steps to Empathy
6. Articles on EI/EQ (Emotional Intelligence/Emotional Quotient)
7. 4 Reasons to Become a Church Member

Videos:

1. Dr. Henry Cloud on The 4 Corners of Connection  (42 minutes)
2. Emotionally Healthy Relationships (27 minutes)

Do you want to learn more about the Bible or how to become a Christian?

Check out these articles:

1. Bible Recap 101: Your Essential Guide to the Bible's Core Storyline
2. How to Become a Christian in 2 Life-Saving Steps

Are you looking for a church? Check out these articles:

1. 3 Essential Beliefs All Christian Churches Share
2. 6 Tips for Choosing the Right Church For You