Whether you like it or not, you are in a relationship with yourself, your spouse, your children, your family of origin, your in-law relatives, your neighbors, your community, your children’s school, your town, your county, city, state, and every other person here in the US and then of course there are all the rest of the billions on earth. We are all in relationship.
What does the word “relationship” actually mean? According to Webster On Line
1 : the state of being related or interrelated <studied the relationship between the variables>
2 : the relation connecting or binding participants in a relationship: as a : kinship b : a specific instance or type of kinship
3 a : a state of affairs existing between those having relations or dealings <had a good relationship with his family> b : a romantic or passionate attachment
If your “relationships” are not ideal or down right do not exist, may I offer a suggestion: pray about them. Praying is not a bad thing and I bet you have done it at least once in your life. Let me explain here; what do you think would happen if each of us just lifted up a short prayer over a troubled relationship?
What could possibly happen that would be disastrous? Nothing. That’s right nothing would happen bad. Probably, there would be a slight move in the direction of improvement if not on their mental state, but rather yours; because your perspective changed about them or the circumstances.
Here’s your challenge:
Pray for: everything that you can see right in front of you.
Pray for: your neighbors
Pray for: your local town
Pray for: your children’s schools (yes all of them individually)
Pray for: your country
Pray for: your state
Pray for: your country
Pray for: all of the leaders in every one of those places above
OK since we are out here on this limb, why not turn to the person who is right there in the room with you and tell them what you love about them (yep, everyone in the room), now if these are strangers, you can give a complement to someone who strikes your fancy, or help someone who is struggling in some way in the room. You have nothing to loose and everything to gain.
The bottom line here is prayer changes things. It is about a relationship. It isn’t religious unless you make it religious.
Here’s what I do; when I am out and about (like this morning when the road is covered in fall leaves, its pouring rain, and drivers are not cautious enough), I pray for those driving in front of me, beside me and behind me. If I am watching a tense situation between two people, I pray for their resolution and that their hearts would be soften and that they will back down from their own escalation of emotions.
You see it is about “awareness” of what is going on right in front of our eyes that keeps us stuck and it can also awaken us to the wonderful possibilities and opportunities all around us every minute of every day.
How are your relationships today?
Is there someone you can lift up in prayer?
Where can you improve your own awareness in life?