***
***
The week of the 4th of July, I decided to do a search for RELATIONSHIP in the "Jesus Listens" devotional (since, besides having the actual book and reading it daily, I got a great deal on the Kindle ebook, which allows one to search). The search highlighted 27 references starting on January 4th through December 26th. Some of them were in the same devotion, so I have decided that I would share the key sentences from these prayers with the Word RELATIONSHIP - mainly because they focus on my RELATIONSHIP with God, which, as I've stated, has been my first and main area to center on this far in 2022. Since half the year is rapidly gone, I will continue with my God RELATIONSHIP as I expand now to those earthly RELATIONSHIPS (that I have avoided facing or working on; as to what God desires to do in each RELATIONSHIP). I hope that I will begin shifting my godly RELATIONSHIP principles to those here on earth while staying attuned to that Awesome RELATIONSHIP with God (the Father, Son & Holy Spirit) and refining all my RELATIONSHIPS to reflect the influence that God has given me.
Here are some of the results of "Jesus Listens" as regards RELATIONSHIP:
| "I've discovered that You are the SomeOne who can satisfy my deep-seated longings. In my RELATIONSHIP with You, I become more completely who I really am." January 4th, Jesus Listens |
| "My RELATIONSHIP with You has been secure ever since I trusted You as my all-sufficient Savior. Help me remember that I a Your beloved child - this is my permanent identity." February 10, Jesus Listens |
♬"The More I love You, the More I seek You,The More I seek You, the More I love You"🎝
| "Telling You all my struggles enhances my RELATIONSHIP with You and creates a peaceful intimacy." March 25, Jesus Listens |
| "Instead of weighing myself down with matters that are not my responsibility, I yearn to make my RELATIONSHIP with You my primary focus. Please remind me to talk with You about whatever is on my mind, seeking Your perspective on the situation. Rather than trying to fix everything around me ..." March 27, Jesus Listens |
| "I've been learning that my intimate RELATIONSHIP with You is a powerful antidote to feelings of loneliness." April 19, Jesus Listens |
| "I've found that thanksgiving and praise put me in proper RELATIONSHIP with You - opening the way for Your Joy to flow into me as I draw near You in worship." May 9, Jesus Listens |
| "My RELATIONSHIP with You transcends all my circumstances!" ... "And help me really believe - in the depths of my being - that my adequacy rests in my RELATIONSHIP with You, Lord" May 10, Jesus Listens |
"When I choose to talk with You about the situation, I'm blessed in several ways. First, communicating with You - in all circumstances - strengthens my RELATIONSHIP with You." May 19, Jesus Listens
|
| "Knowing I'm perfectly, eternally loved improves my RELATIONSHIP with others and helps me grow into the person You designed me to be." May 30, Jesus Listens |
|
"In You I have found Joy Inexpressible and full of Glory! Thisamazing Joy is available nowhere else; I find it only in my RELATIONSHIP with You." June 7, Jesus Listens |
|
"An ungrateful attitude dishonors You and weakens my RELATIONSHIP with You. Help me remember that I am receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken - no matter what is happening in my life or in the world." June 12, Jesus Listens |
|
"Help me to be joyful always and pray continually. I've learned that the only way I can keep rejoicing is to find moment-by-moment pleasure in my RELATIONSHIP with You - the One who is always with me. This RELATIONSHIP is so full of comfort and encouragement that it's possible for me to be joyful in hope even when I'm struggling with adversity." ... "Thanking You in every situation strengthens my RELATIONSHIP with You and increases my Joy." July 12, Jesus Listens |
|
"Through spending time with You, I begin to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is Your love for me. Sometimes the RELATIONSHIP You offer me seems too good to be true. You pour Your very life into me, and all I have to do is receive You." July17, Jesus Listens |
I only shared through July for now, don't want to get ahead of myself.
I noticed or re-realized how much my RELATIONSHIP depends on an Awesome God as I re-read these and made them my RELATIONSHIP prayer and also how no human RELATIONSHIP could or should compare, although we really should exemplify the beautiful concepts of how complete His Love is and no human can fill that place in us - it's meant just for God! Our expectations in our human RELATIONSHIPS should not place that person in that role or believe or treat them like they should reach or comply. After all, they're only human, and so are we. At times, our human RELATIONSHIPS have wounded us and left us expecting more; (and then others have healed us) leaving us still with residual of the difficult RELATIONSHIPS - yeah, we carry the side effects (baggage) in the next & the next until we heal. So, it seems we need support, counsel and life-changing RELATIONSHIP principles, in order to respond differently and truly transform those difficult ones through biblically-based principles as our guide; and there's no better example than Jesus!
The Bible says plenty about RELATIONSHIPS, yet too many of us hold misconceptions of what it really says and what is right in response to the many dilemmas we face. I have finally learned, after years, that I can only change myself (which is difficult enough) so I certainly shouldn't think that I can change the other one in the RELATIONSHIP, who I think should change (they probably do too), but only God can make the changes in them through His Spirit at work in them. There's nothing or no way I can change someone else. So here's where I begin on my other RELATIONSHIPS - by me CHANGING, and maybe I will Change My Relationship(s) - one day at a time, one RELATIONSHIP at a time. I want to become healthy in my RELATIONSHIPS for the rest of my life journey and 2022 will help me reinforce, remind, and renew the right and best ways to apply the knowledge to living it out better with God's help and guidance by His Holy Spirit.
I commit to my RELATIONSHIP changes starting today
August 1, 2022 (the anniversary of one of the RELATIONSHIPS I need to change, God willing)
[This was a review of my readings but also of my progress. So how am I doing with my RELATIONSHIPS? God & me 8+ with OTHERS 4-...needs improvement]
So, this is just a beginning of my RELATIONSHIP review - it's the real-life review that counts the most! Jesus IS Listening, for this I am so thankful, now I need to do a better job of listening to Him.
*** I hope you remembered that the Jesus Listen has/had this Discussion Guide available on Kindle for free. Although I have only shared the LOVE Discussion, there are 10 more: Peace, Health, Discipline, Joy, Freedom, Healing, Humility, Community, Obedience, Responsibility. Also available on the Jesus Calling website. Maybe it's time for me to do some more of this.
postdate: On August 2nd, Pastor Rick Warren's devotional - "To Love, You Have to Listen"
[Sorry, for 2 posts in one day. I did not realize this was set for today too, because this is a little past Mid Year, which should have been a month ago, but this was a good time for me to review in this way. This post was here though since the beginning of July, whereas my 1st post today, was not and was more of a therapeutic one for me to write.]
***