BUILDING EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPS (2)

>>> PROFITTING FROM FRIENDSHIPS/RELATIONSHIPS

TEXT: ACTS 27:3

Yesterday we looked at how to maintain a solid relationship with God and summed it up by saying that God must be at the centre of our lives if things must not fall apart and if our lives must count in destiny and be counted in Heaven. Today we unveil how to maximize friendship with people around our lives.

It is possible that what you need isn’t additional close friendships but to maximize the ones you currently have. The value you place on friendship determines the outcome you get from it. There are certain people you must strive to keep in your life if you must rise in life. Also there are certain relationships you do not need in your life if you must serve God well, fulfil your divine destiny and end well in Heaven.

There are people whose presence in your life constitute ‘excess luggage’ and you must move on from them if you must move forward in life. Some friendship can sink destiny and sink to hell in eternity. Some friendships are distractions to the future ahead. There are people whose presence in your life provokes access to greatness; but there are others whose presence means no access for you and whose impacts are not just zero but minus. You must determine how you want your life to sail by choosing on which friend‘SHIP’ to board.

5 SIGNALS OF UNHEALTHY ASSOCIATIONS

(i) Anyone who sees your success as a threat or who frowns or keeps quiet for no reason because you make progress; beware that you are not in the wrong association

(ii) Any relationship that pushes you farther from God; you don’t need a prophet to tell you it will not end well. Anybody whose presence in your life means you are always committing and confessing sins, you have to flee for the sake of your destiny and eternity. Sin kills! Anyone comfortable with you in sin, he is a destiny assassin in disguise.

(iii) Any relationship that takes from you and gives nothing to you; it is a parasitic relationship and may drain up your destiny if you don’t do something about it.

(iv) Any friend that cannot tell you the truth but flatters you; you have not met a good friend. Where your life is anchored on flattery, your paths will be slippery, and the future could slip away.

(v) An unhealthy association would not see any good thing in you but always exaggerating your errors and weaknesses. Some will only be with you when you are ‘up’ but are nowhere when you are ‘down’; by their fruits you will know them.

Friend, your destiny is too precious to be left at the mercy of manipulation by wrong association. Greatness thrives on the wings of great men. You must look for people who not only tell you want you want to know but what God wants you to know. The better your association, the clearer your destination.

PRACTICAL GUIDE:

Sit down, review relationships that have given you headache, heartaches, and pushed you away from God. Pray for God’s wisdom on active steps to take to enter into rest.