When in prayer seeking direction for this year, I really felt impressed that this would be a year whereby my attention should be given to relationships. That included first and foremost my relationship with my Lord. I felt that He was nudging me to become more intimate by spending more one-on-one time with Him and cultivating waiting before Him and listening for and waiting for Him to speak. I was to give more quality time to my relationship with my husband. Listening to and respecting what he has to say, paying attention to what his love language is and doing all that I can to make sure that I express my love for him, often and in creative ways. I am to pay attention to how I relate to my grown children. One of the ways is to make sure I do not attempt to control or manipulate them but pray for them, really listen with a discerning ear and be there for them as best I can. I am learning to stay out of their business! I am to give attention to the relationships of those whom God has connected me to and that has often meant setting limitations…setting boundaries and not allowing those boundaries to be crossed. It has also meant learning to say, “NO” with no explanation! It has meant letting go of some relationships that I just do not have time to cultivate because healthy relationships take time. One of the things that I am aware of in this relationship thing is to be careful not to burn bridges behind me. Let’s chat about that a minute.
"Don’t burn your bridges behind you” is a warning against intentionally ruining a relationship or situation you are leaving by doing or saying something unpleasant that would make it impossible for you to change your plans and return to the situation you were in before. (www.grammar.zone/dont-burn-your-bridges-behind-you/?amp) Be careful how you treat people because you never know if or when you might find yourself in a situation whereby you just might need them. Now don’t get it twisted. For me it means that I should never enter a relationship with the sole purpose of what they can do for me! I should genuinely want that person in my life. I also need to take a minute and count the cost. An "only what you can do for me relationship" would make me a user and Lord knows we have all been users and we all have been used (in a negative sense) at least once in our lives and some daily. It means that we are to value each relationship. Some people are sent to us for a short season, and some for the long haul. The point is to always treat people the way that I want to be treated. I never want it said of me that I only call when I need a something. Can I remind us all to value those healthy relationships that we have and continue to work on them. And those toxic relationships…. “Run, Forrest! Run!”