1-Year Bible Reading Series for Healthy Living (June: Family)

Welcome Back!  This month we will be reading Bible passages about Family.

Do you wish you could strengthen your family?  Would you like to feel closer to the family of God - the church?  Are you looking for a few people you can rely on to love, support, and spur you on to live your best life?

Whether your family is pretty well connected, quite disjointed, or somewhere in between, you can enjoy many benefits by seeking God’s instructions about this sacred, God-designed “institution”.

So, delve into Scripture and see just how you can nurture the relationships with the most important people in your life.   

[If you'd like a brief general overview of the Bible before jumping into specific passages, read:  Bible Recap 101: Your Essential Guide to the Bible's Core Storyline.]

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

Let’s go…

June - Family

Families come in many shapes and sizes.  There are blood families, adopted families, and church families.  There are messy families, decently healthy families, broken families, blended families, and families that think they’ve got it all figured out.  In reality, most families are a combination of these types.  

Having healthy family relationships allow people to thrive by providing companionship and help.  

But what if your life lacks positive kinship?  Sadly, this is a topic of which I could write volumes from my personal experiences.  Over the years, I have had to learn how to respond lovingly (and with healthy boundaries) to mistreatment from family members.  I have also had to learn to open up, be vulnerable, and trust the family of God.  Thankfully, loving relationships are available to all Christ-followers through the church.

The Bible is my constant source of guidance in this important area of my life.  Without God’s wisdom, I would follow the world’s example of bitterness, revenge, selfishness, and rejection.  And, as a result, my life would be empty and lonely.

Whether or not you have close family relationships, you can benefit from reflecting on what Scripture says about this necessary part of an abundant life.  So, as you get ready to grow in the area most connected to the heart), ask God to help you be open and to receive the gifts He wants to give you through His Word.  

Week 1: Entrusting Your Family to God 

It is part of God’s design for families to care for, protect and provide for the needs of one another.  

While this is the standard, there are times when people cannot provide for or protect their families.  There may come a time when all you can do is pray and trust God to intervene.  Maybe this is something you are experiencing right now.  

As you read this week’s Scripture passages, be encouraged by the stories of those who have gone before you.  Notice how they trusted God;  and pray that you will grow in confidence that your family is in good hands when you place them in God’s.

Week 2: Marriage or Singleness

Whether you are married or single, there are blessings and challenges you will experience.  God’s Word is full of wisdom and guidance in what ever stage you find yourself.

In Genesis, it says that God is the One who designed marriage.  And then in the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, Paul commented on how valuable it is to remain single.  (For more on this subject, check out this article from Focus on the Family.) 

If you are struggling in your marriage or dealing with loneliness in your singleness, reach out to a trusted Christian leader or counselor for help.

This week, in addition to reading these Bible passages, take time to ask God for help in making your marriage stronger, or in making wise choices if you are single.  

Week 3: Children, Parents, and Siblings

It is common for parents to blame themselves for their children’s choices.  While it is true that parents make mistakes and need to take responsibility for the effect on their children, it is important to remember that children - young and grown - are responsible for their choices as well.  Everyone makes their own choices.  

There is an adage that is especially helpful to be cognizant of in family relationships:  the only one you can change is yourself.  You may find temporary success in correcting behavior, but the Holy Spirit is the only One who can correct hearts.  

When experiencing friction with a child, parent, sibling, or extended family member, put them in God’s hands, ask Him to help you respond in love, and then allow yourself to enjoy them for who they are.

Find encouragement in this week’s readings of God’s Word as you reflect on the Lord’s instructions and the stories of those who have gone before you.  

Week 4+ Church: The Family of God

God calls believers His children.  We are family!  Christ-followers can support, encourage, love, correct, and inspire one another.  They can also mistreat, be standoffish or fake, and hurt each other.  Pleasant, challenging, and painful elements are all part of human relationships.

Have you ever heard anyone say (or maybe you’ve said it) that they believe in God but they don’t go to church because they’ve experienced difficulty being around Christians?  A recent survey by Pew Research Center found that about 60% of Americans who identify as Christian rarely, if ever, attend church.

That is why this week’s Bible selections are so important.  As you read them, ask God to heal the hurts in your heart or in the heart of someone you know that has distanced themselves from the church.  [To read a pastor's personal story of being hurt, check out this article:  I Have Been Hurt By Church, What do I do: A Pastor's Story.]

Where to Go From Here

By entrusting your family to God, following His instructions on marriage or singleness, and seeking to treat your children, siblings, parents, and your church family as God teaches, you can enjoy the many benefits of healthy relationships.

What is one takeaway for you this month?  Share it with us in the Comment section below!

Join me again in July when we will look at what God says about Work. 

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

Are you looking for a church family you can call "Home"? 

Check out these articles:

1. 3 Essential Beliefs All Christian Churches Share
2. 6 Tips for Choosing the Right Church For You
3. 4 Reasons to Become a Church Member 
4. I Have Been Hurt By Church, What do I do: A Pastor's Story 

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