5 Most Important Relationships In Your Life

Last week we had one of my favorite events that we do all year—MESH Relationship Conference. The energy is contagious every year and this year did not disappoint. Relationships are the essence of life... when we struggle in relationships, we struggle in life. When we thrive in relationships we thrive in life.

THE 5 MOST IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIPS IN YOUR LIFE

YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

When you have a healthy relationship with God, it affects all of your other relationships. It is the hub of the wheel that influences all the other spokes of relationships that complete the wheel.

Matthew 22: 36-39
"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'  This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

YOUR FAMILY

The person you marry will have an immeasurable impact on your life. I like to remind singles that the only thing worse than being single is being married to the wrong person.

Proverbs 10:4
If a woman marries a lazy man she will live with poverty

Proverbs 27:15
If a man marries a quarrelsome wife, she will be like a constant dripping on a rainy day

YOUR CHURCH

First, let me clarify that a relationship with a church is not just attending a church. I’m definitely not talking about the on again off again... hot then cold... close then distant... church dating. I am talking about what the Bible calls getting "planted in the house of the Lord."  (Psalm 92:13)

When you get planted, you plant your family in a life-giving, bible-teaching, grace- giving, God-loving church and you abide there. You change the trajectory of your life!!  Can you imagine ten years of visiting, dating, and spectating VERSUS ten years of being planted, involved, and growing? You will have two completely different outcomes in your life!

YOUR CO-WORKERS

The most important strategy for your relationships at work is for YOU to know “why you go to work", and for you to have a clear purpose for life and work. 

The more purposeful and intentional you are about your job/career the more certain you can be of attracting and connecting with those same kind of people on the job. People who know clearly why they are there are more likely to...

• Be positive
• Be goal oriented
• Be dedicated and passionate about their work
• Put effort into maintaining a good relationship with the people they work with

YOUR SOCIAL TIES

This is where we tend to be the least guarded, which makes us most vulnerable in choices and conversations. Most of the things people say and do that they regret later happen in a social setting! This is also where friendships are formed. When you hang out socially you start confiding, sharing your heart and feelings which develops a bond and before you know it this person is a friend. Maybe you haven't really stopped to consider if they would make a good friend for you... you just hung out enough that they became your friend.

Proverbs 12:26
The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of  the wicked leads them astray.

Take a moment this week and consider the relationships impacting your life right now. Are they healthy relationships?