If we want our relationships to be different, then we must push back against our culture.

We live in a self-focused and self-consumed society. What’s in it for me? You only live once. Just do it.

If our Lord God had any of that attitude, He would never have given his life for a single selfish human being.

My actions, my behavior only affects me, right? No, it does not. Our behavior has an impact on others, reaching further than we realize.

But it’s my life, so why can’t I do what I want, what I feel is right for me? If every person lived a life based solely on personal feelings and wants, then the result would be brokenness, pain, trauma and grief.

Our God is relational. Created in God’s image, we are relational. It is simply not only about me! And yet husbands and wives, parents, teenagers, and other family members continue to act as if it is.

If you have truly accepted Christ as your Lord, then your life does not belong to you anymore. So, it cannot be about you. Christ-followers are not to have the same attitude and beliefs of this world.

Some may only see the choice as being self-focused or being miserable. Rarely are extremes our only options, but when we feel stuck, our understanding of our situation is limited. When this happens, it is a good time to consult others to gain perspective and pray that you will be open to the options God reveals to you.

Often, we want those around us to change in order to accommodate our wants and how we view the world. The key to a different life is discovering all the ways I can change in order to alter the impact I have and to transform the current relationships that I have with my spouse, family, co-workers, faith community, and neighbors. We would much rather they do the work of change.

Crowds followed Jesus desirous of change in their lives. Christ told his followers I will send you a helper, the Holy Spirit, to transform your life. He did not say I will send the Holy Spirit to change all those around you so that your life can be different.