What Am I Working On Improving In My Life?

Generally, we can and should desire improvements in our lives. What happens is that based upon the season of your life, the emphasis of your improvements by the Spirit of God might be very specific. However, if at any point in your life, you get to a place where you believe there is nothing else to work on or you do not seem to know what to work on, I encourage you to take a closer look at the area of sacrifice. As you prepare yourself and understand yourself in the process, know that sacrifice in every relationship is a requirement. In fact I will say it this way, “there is no relationship that does not require sacrifice; be it your relationship with God or your relationship with man”. Sacrifice on your part towards God and others is a reflection of selflessness and many other godly virtues.

It was on the foundation of sacrifice that our relationship with the Father was established in the New Testament. He demonstrated sacrifice by giving His only Son to die on the cross for our sins. At every given time, when you enjoy the benefits of the Kingdom lifestyle, always remember that it was established by sacrifice. Amen! The Father sacrificed because of you. Whom are you willing to sacrifice for?

John 3:16 (NIV)

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

More and more, as we answer these questions, it becomes even clearer to us that relationship is indeed spiritual and we really cannot favor a particular group of individuals over others in our manner of approach. The Kingdom approach is the standard. Amen! For your relationships to work, do not selectively sacrifice. The Father sacrificed His only Son on behalf of everyone. In every relationship, live conscious of the principle of sacrifice. Sacrifice of your time, your needs, your preferences, your opinions, your likes, your ideas, and more for the sake of the other(s).

This leads us to answer the next question. What Is In The Relationship For Me? Stay tuned!

Expectations - What Are My Expectations?

Another kingdom approach to relationship is understanding your expectations. Do have expectations? Or are the kind of person that permits any and everything that a relationship has to offer? It is very godly to have expectations and most importantly, to have a proper understanding of your expectations. Our heavenly Father has expectations when it comes to His relationship with us. Did you know that?

Psalm 14:2 (NIV)

The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind
to see if there are any who understand,
    any who seek God.

This portion of scripture expresses to us the expectation of our Father. We are told that he looks down from heaven to see if there is anyone who understands and anyone who seeks God. Why would He do that? Because He has made His purpose, standards, identity and more very clear to us. Therefore, there is an expectation of compliance. Amen.

It will be unfair for Him to look down from heaven with such expectations if He had not provided the curriculum for us to adhere to.

So too it is with us, we ought to have expectations, clearly communicate our expectations and live in expectation. I will give you an example to help you understand this truth even more. If you expect absolute honesty in your relationships, first you should be able to communicate that – give no room for assumptions. Secondly, you will relate with that person expecting that everything they say and do is true. You would not have to verify every information or action of theirs before implementing because you expect that they are dealing with you from a platform of honesty. Amen!

All these might seem easy, yet, you will be amazed at how many people live on assumptions and never successfully build lasting kingdom relationships. I will say this again, you do not have to be a victim of failed relationships. There is a way that you can see and learn, not necessarily experience the situation before learning.

In Proverbs 24:32 (NIV) we are told this “I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw”. Amen!