It is critical to our growth in the Lord that we associate ourselves with people who uplift us. At the end of a conversation with someone, if we exit feeling down,
disturbed and not quite right, we should be wary and watch closely. If this happens
consistently, something is wrong.
It doesn't matter if we are praying for that person, always lifting them
up and trying to be a Godly example and inspiration to him or her. If
we don't feel elevated and at peace at the end of any encounter with
them, our growth in God will be hindered. We hear the following statement often and we
should take it more to heart. Some people we will need to love and pray
for from afar.
How often do we ignore this truth in the name of being good Christians? We are good Christians when we attend to our own advancement in the Lord first, at all costs. We are good Christians when we guard our hearts with all diligence. Our Father does want us to come to him with broken spirits and broken and contrite hearts but not through being ignorant about our detrimental relationships with others.
There is no doubt about it; we need to discuss with God if we
should be closely associated with these types of persons. The ones whom
we need to love and pray for from afar are the very
persons who drain our spirits, depress us and prey upon us, whether
purposely or unintentionally. It is difficult to deny these people access to our
lives when they continually burden us with the same conversations, the
same complaints and the same attitudes.
When we realize, however, that they never take our Godly advice and that they never do what we suggest to resolve their own issues, it becomes clear that our relationships with God are being eroded through our relationships with them. They are toxic relationships, a form of being unequally yoked. If we persist in the belief that we are slowly influencing them and that we are long-suffering for good, then we need to think long and hard and often about the wisdom of that train of thought.
Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits. (I Corinthians 15:33)
Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. (Proverbs 13:20)
Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? (I Corinthians 5:6)
We have to also be sure
that WE are uplifting to others. If we are critical of them, unfairly judgemental, always oppressive, non-receptive to learning from them, bearers of bad reports, complainers, holier-than-thou, etc., then maybe we should be
removed from their lives through their own recognition of the truth. It works both ways.
If we ask, God will give us seeing eyes and hearing ears to honestly evaluate our relationships so that we can walk in the light. The purity of our close associations is paramount to maintaining and strengthening our connection to God. Healthy relationships inspire and motivate us to higher heights in Christ Jesus.
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:15-17)
