What does it take to grow in your relationship with with a spouse? Love. Sacrifice. Time spent together. Attention. Listening to each other. Two-way communication. Dates. Honesty. Trust. Walking with each other through peaks and valleys, through good and bad. Wanting what’s best for the other.
Teacher, do you want to grow in your relationship with Christ? Those same practices necessary for a good marriage relationship can help your relationship with Christ to deepen. Most marriages go through challenging and dry moments. Persistence through those times is needed. Spouses should continue to communicate and act like they love each other, even when they don’t feel that way. Don’t hear me say that we should go through the “motions” when our relationship with Christ is stale. But persistence in dry times are necessary.
Rick Warren wrote an article recently entitled Dry relationship with God will kill your ministry joy. In the article, he shares three points that can help you as a teacher continue to deepen in your relationship with Christ. What is in bold is Rick’s, but the commentary is mine.
- Spend time with God. Don’t take Him for granted. Invest more time in your relationship with Him. Set aside daily time, but also set aside special time (dates) with God. Go for walks with Him. Read the Word, His love letter to you. Choose to make this time a priority in your schedule. Consider it more important than eating, sleeping, or working.
- Talk with God continually. Talk to Him about everything. Talk to Him when you work, eat, and play. Be honest. Act like you are dating–seek to talk with Him all the time, every moment. Share with Him what you are thinking. Share your worries. Share your feelings. Ask Him questions. Tell Him how much you love Him. Praise Him. Thank Him. Talk to Him like He is sitting or standing right beside you–because He is right there with you!
- Trust wholeheartedly in God. Trust is essential in healthy relationships. Walking together with God through difficult times helps you know that you can count on Him. He know’s what you are facing, and He is always there. He can be counted on. He can help. He knows what you’ve done, and He loves you no matter what. Step out in faith. Believe in Him. Trust Him.
He wants your relationship with Him to be fresh. Keep it new. Invest in that relationship every day. Spend time with Him. Talk with Him all the time. Trust Him with all your heart! As a teacher, don’t be stale. Be revolutionary. Grow in love with Him!
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