Building Relationships Phase II - How Shall it Be?

Since this new phase of building relationships begun, I continued to cultivate habits to build the most important relationship I have - with God. See previous post on this. But as I evaluated where I hope to be, there are some things which I need to take account of. I had greater clarity in what I need and where I should be focused.

In this new season (i.e., phase II), I want to grow beyond my comfort zone. I want to take chances and stop making excuses. I want to have a space condusive to the types of relationships I want and need. I want to continually remember that humility and forgiveness are fundamental to all relationships and to actively practice them everyday. I want to be the friend that is there, night or day, and feel burdened for my friends when they are burdened. I want to show love without even having saying those three words. I want to know when to let go of some relationships and which ones to strengthen. I want to know when to back off and when to step up. I want to understand my relationship dynamics to know when to be silent, when to speak. It can go on and on...

One of the things that most recently came to the fore is that I want relationships that are two-way streets, where efforts at building them are reciprocated. I intend to choose very carefully those relationships where I feel valued and those where I can add value. I want those relationships which are healthy and not those that are toxic. I want to have iron that can sharpen me, or I being that to someone else.

In one of my most recent introspective moments, I accepted that I internalise so much of what may be happening which can, in turn, create an unhealthy, internal atmosphere. I do this out of fear for some reason, but what I need is to step out in faith more, to be more vulnerable and willing to share from the deepest parts of me. I need to find peace with the fact that I can get hurt but still risk it knowing that it's necessary if I want to cultivate the strongest of relationships. God created us for relationship and that has been abundantly clear in my seasons. So my prayer is that I will have the wisdom and courage to do what needs to be done.

Here goes something! 

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