By: Aaron Adams

Relationships, at least good, authentic, genuine relationships, will teach us a few things.

One of those things: It’s that it’s not all about me!

Good friendships, good dating relationships, good marriages, they all take sacrifice and a lot of it!

If we want our relationships to succeed, to be the most beneficial and fruitful they can be, we MUST sacrifice for the good of the relationship.

Before I was married, I was just a young man trying to figure out life independently. I lived on my own for a time, had my own job, and could do my own thing. Most of the decisions were left up to me.

What do I want to eat? My decision.

How do I want to spend my money? My decision.

Who do I want to spend my time with? My decision.

Where do I want to live and work? My decisions.

You can see where I’m going with this, right?

But as soon as other parties enter into the mix, the friendships, the relationships, the marriages, it all changes. When I started dating my wife Elyse, and we eventually got married, those same questions and decisions I’ve always had to make before are suddenly not just left to me.

What are we going to eat for dinner? Not as easy anymore.

How do we spend our money? Now it’s getting harder.

Who and where do we spend our time? Still not easy.

Where are we going to live and work? Not easy.

Long story short, relationships, good relationships, change things in our lives. For the good of the relationship, we HAVE to sacrifice. We must think less of ourselves, less about our desires and wants, and consider the needs of others in the relationship.

Our relationship with Christ isn’t all that different. Because I’m a sinner, I certainly have my desires, wants, and flaws. The list goes on. But Christ calls me to something different, to something greater. Because I’m in a relationship with Christ, he’s asking for less of me (my fleshly desires), more of him (God), for them (the world).

Less of me, more of him, for them.

Let’s talk more about this on Sunday…