Relationships of any kind can be challenging because they involve people dealing with people. None of us are perfect, we’ll make mistakes, say the wrong things, compare ourselves, and struggle to forgive. The Bible warns us against being around the wrong people. The Bible says: ‘Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character”’ (1 Corinthians 15:33 NIV). We need relationships with the right people in order for us to grow in our faith and fulfil God’s plans for our lives. God can introduce us to the right people and help us build a relationship with them. But He may need to do some work inside us before we can build healthy relationships and make healthy choices. He might need to help us find our identity in Him, otherwise we can look to other people to tell us who we are. God wants us to realise that we’re His children, and no one can change that. The Bible says: ‘See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!’ (1 John 3:1 NIV). We also need to learn to forgive. We can’t have healthy relationships with others if we’re carrying a load of bitterness and resentment around with us. God also needs to mature us so that we can love like He loves – the type of love described in 1 Corinthians 13. Healthy, godly relationships are Jesus-centred. Each person points the other to Jesus. In healthy relationships there’s no gossip, comparison, trying to fix other people’s situations, or trying to change people to meet our standards. Healthy relationships involve praying for each other, speaking words of encouragement, and forgiving each other
