Relationship Goals

I don’t know if you know this about me but I am on the more severe end of the spectrum when it comes to introversion. I am extremely shy to the point where, at times, it’s paralyzing. This is something that I am definitely praying over constantly but till the day I can walk up to anyone and intro and outro myself, this is my reality.

That being said, I think about communication and interactions a lot and whenever I do interact it’s something that plagues my mind for days after. My mind starts to go through the questions of
“did I come off too strong?”
“did I come off as too quiet?”
“did ____ come out right? I feel like they could have taken it the wrong way..”
And my most played question is,
“did this feel as awkward to them as it did for me?”

I know some of you won’t be able to relate to my craziness but these are real questions that pop into my head after an interaction. And yes, so you know, I am laughing over here about them too.

With all this being said, the Lord gave me a word about my fears that I wish to share with anyone who can relate to where I am coming from.

REVEAL

DON’T WORRY ABOUT WHAT THE OTHER PERSON THINKS OF YOU OR EVEN ABOUT HOW MUCH OF THEMSELVES THEY’RE GIVING YOU IN THAT MOMENT.
JUST LEAVE 100% OF YOURSELF EVERYTIME YOU CONNECT WITH SOMEONE. THE END.

This is something that really blew me away because He went on to explain that that is what it means when we say LOVE CONQUERS ALL.

Isn’t that insanely awesome and mind-blowing?!
I know none of this sounds revolutionary in the natural but let me ask you this question, a question the Lord Himself asked me after He explained all this to me.

How different would our current relationships look if we gave 100% of ourselves EVERY TIME we spoke, no conditions? 

That question is life-changing for me when it comes to building relationships and loving Jesus.

REFLECT

When I interact with someone whether they’re new to me or not, I leave wondering so many things that half the time, I talk myself out of actually just enjoying having shared a moment with someone. No matter how awkward it may have felt.

How often do we leave a conversation and wonder,
were they being genuine?
was I just bothering them or taking up their time?
do they even care about anything I just shared?
it didn’t feel like they shared as much as I did.
it didn’t feel like they were really into the conversation.
what did their tone mean when they said _______?
The list can go on but you get the gist.

We get in our own way 99.999% of the time! Don’t get me wrong, there will be times when people won’t be genuine with you, where it will seem fake and forced. Times when they will cut you off and walk away because “something better” caught their attention. Moments when you feel you are really there, in the now, and they.. just aren’t.

God is saying, THAT’S OK!

It’s ok if you feel ignored, pushed aside, taken for granted. Not because you deserve that but because it’s THEIR loss. The people who ridiculed Jesus and worked hard to get Him imprisoned and then killed, the people who rejected His word and His life, it was THEIR loss.
Jesus did not lose sleep over what others had thought of Him. He did not worry about how they would take His words.
He spoke.
He just was.
And those that believed in Him, those that believed in what He said and what He represented followed. Period.

RE-FOCUS

So all this to say, Love conquers all.

Live love.
Give love.
Speak love.

Not because they share in that with you too but because God is in us and if He lives in us then there is only one thing to do and that’s love.

Love WITHOUT conditions.
Love WITHOUT doubt
Love WITHOUT insecurities

LOVE BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT WE WERE CALLED TO DO.

If someone appreciates that then they will be compelled to reciprocate with love, if not then just keep moving forward. Keep doing your part on this planet to show the love of God through how you speak, what you do, and all that you are.

God works ALL THINGS out for good when we choose to remain in love.

I love when God speaks to me in moments when I am failing, LIVE! I don’t take it as a bad thing when He speaks up and corrects my thinking. It just proves that though I love Him very much I am not perfect and He knows that and loves me still. He helps me in my everyday life and I am forever grateful for His presence.

What are some real-life moments where God has shown up and helped out your thinking a little?