Our relationships with others is a key to peace and life. This is the most important thing a Christian should strive for...peace and harmony in our relationships. In fact, our human relationships should be second only to our relationship with our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus.
In most cases there are steps we can incorporate to improve relationships, and we can exercise more faith to bring victory in this area. The following steps are given to aid you in finding wholeness and love in all your relationships and situations:
1. You must want to do something about strained relationships and situations. Romans 13:10, "Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.." Romans 12:18, "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceable with all men."
2. Start thinking on the good qualities in the other person's life. Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatsover things are true - honest - just - pure - lovely - whatsoever things are of a good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Through a proper attitude, you can free others to be the person they were meant to be. Romans 12:10, "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another.
3. Forgive and ask the other person to forgive you; then begin praying for one another. Mark 11:25, "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any; that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses." Matthew 5:23, 24, "Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
4. Be thankful for what you are learning and becoming. Psalm 34:1, "I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth."
Ephesians 4:22-24, "That ye put off concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Colossians 3:1, "If ye be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God."
As we allow the Spirit of the Lord to mold our lives, we have the blessed possibility of adding to the attractiveness of the Gospel. The life of Christ within a believer should be producing certain character qualities. There are certain qualities, that when practiced, will provide success for the person who chooses to live abundantly.
Our Father has said that we will go astray and become as a lost sheep if we do not stay close to the Shepherd, the Lord Jesus. We become prey to all the wild beasts of the world if we do not continually follow the good Shepherd. My mind is soothed and uplifted as I lay my head down at night and know that I can rest in His sheep fold. He stands guard. His rod and staff will comfort me, and I will fear no evil because He is with me.
I choose to think on the good things of life and the fine qualities of others. I refuse to fret or complain. I will live each day joyfully and when tempted to murmur, I will remember the good that has already come my way, and I will do as the Psalmist suggested in Psalm 34:1, "I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth."
I will not disappoint my Father, God, who has created me with a mind that is composed of some 10 billion nerve cells, more or less alike. These brain cells interact in various ways. Each cell contributes to behavior, and presumably to mental activity by firing impulses or failing to fire.
As Christians believers, we must decide to channel all our efforts toward "Thinking Higher Thoughts". We will succeed if we follow the advice found in the Word of God. Romans 12:2, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."