Something Feels Wrong?: The One Relationship You May Be Neglecting | (How to Grow a Church – Part 2)

Something Feels Wrong?: The One Relationship You May Be Neglecting | (How to Grow a Church – Part 2)

Something Feels Wrong?: The One Relationship You May Be Neglecting | (How to Grow a Church – Part 2)

(Listen to the accompanying video here: https://youtu.be/m-iC-wCs3O0)

Is your life going how you imagined it would be when you were a kid? Periods of fulfillment and excitement few and far between?

Is there a nagging feeling that something is missing and you just cannot shake it?

Do not ignore those signs.

This title image is a stock photo of a check engine light.

Never a welcomed surprise for any driver.

We put off that trip to the mechanic, hoping that some sensor tripped because of a recent temperature change. We cross our fingers and pray that the next time we turn on the ignition, we’ll get lucky and all will be back to normal.

Of course, anybody who knows anything about cars will tell you that the best time to get that indicator checked is the first time that signal appears.

Maybe it IS nothing. Or maybe it’s something that could be insignificant if addressed immediately, but will be much worse because you put off resolving it for months.

How many times have we driven by a stalled car on the highway, shaking our heads in smug curiosity about how someone could ever let their vehicle get in such sad shape?

It’s funny, but we do the same with much more precious cargo: Our own spirits, souls, and bodies.

We’re much more intricate than any automobile, yet so many of us—me included—devote so little time to looking under the hood and tuning up our systems.

If you’re still searching for a real sense of joy, fulfillment, and contentment, consider another look at what God has to offer for you.

What He’s waiting to give you

Emotional trauma? Loneliness? Guilt from mistakes past and present? Are you searching for signs that the right romantic partner is right in front of you (or how to go about being found by them in the first place)? God is here to help you with that.

Perhaps you see the months flying by and it feels like you’re jogging in place. You’re getting older one day at a time and you feel stuck.

Time waits for no one. It’s a maxim that I forget myself.

James 1: 19 – 25:

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”

With God’s assistance and guidance, you…

– Begin hearing instructions on how to tackle problems you’re dealing with and recalibrate your method of thinking so that you’re less susceptible to being thrown by life’s hardships

– Develop your ability to wrestle with emotions—worry, regret, sorrow, guilt, happiness, gratitude—enhancing your communication skills, emotional availability, and emotional intelligence

– Learn how to identify sources of pain and anxiety and transmute negative energy into positive outcomes

– Boost your internal and external conflict resolution skills

You’ll grow by leaps and bounds, mentally, spiritually, and in every way that matters.

A newfound level of peace will be yours as well.

You do not need any knowledge of religion to begin a relationship with God

We’re all damaged and imperfect in some way. You need nothing, save for a willingness to hear and learn, to gain access to what He has waiting for you.

Every second is an opportunity to seek something better for yourself—if you want to

You are Not Responsible For Anyone Else’s Happiness: 3 Tips for Preserving Your Mental Health During Periods of Change

Now, don’t hear me sharing any of these words on God and Christianity with an inflection of self-righteousness. I’ve got my flaws—a number of which I’ve laid bare in previous entries—and am on the same discovery journey as anyone reading this. There exists no such thing as a perfect Christian and anyone who holds themselves as even close to that is, ironically, doing the opposite of what Christ espoused:

Luke 18: 9-14: The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector

“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Religious folks sporting a holier-than-thou attitude do the world a disservice, poisoning the well they’re supposed to be encouraging others to take a swig from.

You’ve got to walk it more than you talk it.

There exist no superhuman beings. Just ordinary men who have unlocked extraordinary power.

And we’ve all got access to that power—-if you know where to look.

Why many turn away from the idea of God

A lot of people have a misconception of who He is and what He stands for. That can discourage people from getting to know Him and growing closer to Him.

You might see Him as an authoritative, unyielding figure who has not been there for you when you needed Him the most.

And that ostensible non-intervention by God has led many to ask:

“If God exists and He is so good, how come He allows so much evil in the world?” 

It does not help that many atrocities have been committed in the name of religion. Even on a more mundane level, we’ve all crossed paths with pious folk who are judgmental, self-righteous, and as petty as their uninitiated neighbors. The hesitance to embrace a community where some of its members are exactly the sort of people we steer clear of is understandable.

“Why am I single?”: Judgment Destroys Relationships | (How to Grow a Church – Part 1)

We are a world of flawed people and the existence of awful representatives in organized religion is an unfortunate reality.

Short answer to that question:

He allows us free will, so we are free to do as we please and that can lead to all sorts of unfortunate events transpiring as a result.

But that’s on man, not God.

God is light, there is no darkness in Him. He’s all good, there is no sin in Him. All the evil in the world is man’s own doing.

And He has allowed the consequences of our actions to stand, just like the very first mistake in Adam and Eve’s time set the stage for many of the trials we face today:

Genesis 3: 16-19:

To the woman he said,

“I will make your pains in childbearing very severe;
    with painful labor you will give birth to children.
Your desire will be for your husband,
    and he will rule over you.”

To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’

“Cursed is the ground because of you;
    through painful toil you will eat food from it
    all the days of your life.

It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
    and you will eat the plants of the field.

By the sweat of your brow
    you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
    since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
    and to dust you will return.”

Now, He is a just God, so evil and rebellion will get punished. But He isn’t out here thrusting us into problems in order to impart some sort of lesson or wisdom on us. 

Anything you could ever want—-a great marriage, wealth to live your best life and care for those you love—He is the creator of all good things on this planet. He’s got a lot to say on the “Who?” “What?”, and “How?” of doing anything well. 

With our focus at K.E. Consulting on developing yourself into the right person for the right partner, you can tap into that biblical wisdom, avoiding much of the heartache and consternation that comes with trying to go it alone without Him. 

“Finding a husband or finding a wife”; “How to find God-fearing men and women on online dating apps”; “Spotting red flags while Christian dating”:

To some, the mention of some of these phrases can evoke anxiety and frustrations that have them running for self-care and mental health preservation routines.

Many people experience adequate outcomes for their life and relationships on their own—no shame there. But if you want the very best for yourself, your kids, their kids……that perfect will for your life awaits you if you commit to seeking God (and Christ) with all of your being.

Matthew 6:33:

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

If there exists an omniscient being, it’s not a huge logical leap to assume He might know what’s best for you—and what will carry happiness your way–right?

He’s got plans for every single one of us. When He calls you to something, He will make provision for you. It would be unjust of Him to lead you somewhere without providing everything you need to complete the transition.

And that “does-not-get-any-better-than-this” sense of peace and joy will elude you until you get in alignment with His will for you.

As long as you can live without knowing His will for your life, you will. Decide today that you would like something more. His design for you is more beautiful than anything you’ve ever dreamed of.

Every day apart from His best for you is one fewer day you have to enjoy it.

Another reason so many are hesitant to investigate God is that we think we’ll lose something by doing so. 

Perhaps you’ll need to say goodbye to some of our favorite activities and vices. Maybe you’re envisioning a lifetime of wasted Sunday mornings, stuck in a boring church when you could be asleep at home or watching the game. Or, heaven forbid you do grow closer to God, you end up being commanded to sell your possessions and head out on some missionary trip to the jungles of Africa.

(Note: If God did direct you towards a particular path, He would implant in you an affinity for that calling, so you would welcome it, instead of begrudge it as a labor of servitude.

He’s not an unfair, uncaring God.)

I will tell you this:

It’s counter-intuitive, but, by throwing your lot in with God, you’ll gain more than you could ever dream of. He wants the best for you and wants each and every one of us to succeed in every way.

After all, we are all His children.

Ever see the classic 1990s Nickelodeon show, “Legends of The Hidden Temple”?

Walking in alignment with God is like having all of the doors opened for you during a temple run; the path to the finish line for your goals becomes so much clearer.

Help from above.

Be not mistaken: as long as we’re on this Earth, we still have a part to play in how our lives unfold. 

Is building a relationship with God a guarantee of a life free from adversity? No. We live in a fallen world with elements—ourselves included—that will bring pain, strife, and frustration.

Jesus Christ was God in human form and you know what happened to Him.

There is no magic wand that grants us immunity from anything and everything that might introduce sadness or discomfort to our existence.

Myself, I’m a work-in-progress, fully-apprised of some of the mistakes and self-imposed limitations that have grounded what could’ve been a smoother flight.

Career trials. Toxic relationships. Health scares—been through all of those, like many of you reading this.

After The Love Has Gone: 3 Tips For Recovering from Loss and Change

I am far from a textbook example of what God would want our walk with Him to look like.

But that’s exactly the kind of person He’s here for—right now:

Mark 2:17:

“On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.””

And really, there’s no person alive who has ever maxed out what God can do for him. That’s a challenge we’ve all come up short on and, if you need an ideal poster boy to convince you of what He can do for you, you will be “Waiting for God(ot)” for a very long time.

I haven’t arrived at the end of that yellow brick road, but I’ve started the self-improvement journey. 

And you can, too.

John 14:12:14:

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

When you establish a bond with God, you boast an ally who can see you through anything and everything that might present a threat to your well-being and happiness.

And your walk with God is a key cog in finding your best relationship partner.

It’s already in you. There’s never a bad time to evolve.

So, how do we get closer to Him? What are some of the steps we can take right now to start that personal development journey to better relationships and enhanced quality of life and happiness?

I’ll cover that in a future post.

I’d love to hear from you:

  • Anything put you off of God and religion in the past?
  • Would you like to learn more about cultivating a relationship with God?

Looking for answers to questions like:

Or, just want to share a comment?

Reach out to me: keneerike.com/contact

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