A thought by Michael Todd, from his book, Relationship Goals (p. 28). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)
They do, they really do.
Michael continues, "I’m not saying that people who are living far from God can’t sometimes have good relationships. Obviously, they can and do. But I’m saying that on the spiritual level at least, there’s a difference. If you and I don’t have our constant source as God, we will always be deficient and not able to give all the grace, give all the peace we should in relationship. We won’t be able to walk in the love of Christ like we’re supposed to."
He says, "Let’s go back to creation. God made the sun and the moon and the sky and said, 'It is good.' He made water and dry land and said, 'It is good.' He made plants like spinach and kale and then, for me, all the ingredients for a delicious soul-food dinner and said, 'It is good.' Then He made the sea creatures like Willy and Nemo and Flounder and all the wild animals like Timon, Pumbaa, and Simba, and He said, 'It’s good.' When He made Adam, He said, 'It’s very good.' It was all good.
"But pretty soon God said for the first time, 'It’s not good.' It’s not that God had messed up—He never messes up. Something was missing. 'The LORD God said, ' "It is not good for the man to be alone" ' (Genesis 2:18).'
"This principle is true for all Adam’s children as well. It’s not good for you to be alone. It’s not good for me to be alone. When we set up a life that is guarded and gated, the Enemy comes to attack us. When we’re isolated, we’re at more risk of listening to lies about who we are and coming to believe them as truth. We all need relationship with people who can remind us of the truth and dispel the falsehood, who can show us some of the love our hearts need, who can help us along our way. God knows this. And that’s why God wants relationship for us."
He goes on, "Is it hard for you to believe that a major part of God’s plan for your life involves relationship? He wants you to have healthy and successful relationships—yes, you, the one who is content working from home and taking online courses, does all your shopping on Amazon, and doesn’t like going to church because everyone always wants to hug you and the preacher enjoys making you turn to your neighbor to say something random. God created you to be in relationship with others, even if you’re introverted, you’re shy, you’ve been hurt before…or you’re just kinda over the whole 'needing other people' thing. And it’s a good thing too.
"Have the courage to say, 'God wants relationship for me!'"
Michael then says, "He wants you to have a best friend, even though the last one stabbed you in the back. He wants you to have pastors and mentors who create a safe place to grow and become. He wants you to be in a marriage that works and is marked by love, honor, respect, and fun. Granted, your past relationships might have been, well…the opposite of that. But God is a redeemer, so He can take whatever is broken and jacked up and work it for your good.
"With God leading, relationships are a good thing, the solution to the problem of aloneness."
Have you found that to be true? I hope so. Yes, yes!
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