Obstacles in a relationship are opportunities to reflect the character of God. How we deal with them are occasions to glorify him.

I’ve been thinking about this in the context of an email response to my blog post from June 10th, It’s Still Amazing Out There.

Marilyn from Minnesota wrote:

Your story of the weather person reminded me of my own story. A couple of years ago, we had a weatherman who would say, “Don't waste this day!” on the days that were perfectly gorgeous. I loved that but wanted to take it a step further. I don't want to waste any day.

Every day that God gives me I want to start it by saying to myself, “Don't waste this day! Get out there and make it count.” It might be a stormy day, a difficult day, a sunny perfect day. No matter what kind of a day it is it can be used for His glory.

I'm enjoying your weekly chats. Thanks!

I love Marilyn’s attitude that goes beyond the weather. She doesn’t let weather get in the way of making her life count for something. Any day, good or bad, can be used for God’s glory.

Weather and Relationships

Her comments remind me of the similarity between the weather and obstacles in relationships. For some people, “stormy, difficult days of weather” shut them down, preventing them from making the day count. Like the weather, there are times when our relationships are stormy and difficult, but we can still make them count for something.

Just as we can’t change the weather, there are often times things about our relationships we can’t change either. Try as we may to alter relational dynamics, they may be out of our control. What do we do then? Write people off and move on to someone else?

Sadly, some people do. They let obstacles as fleeting as the weather get in the way of a relationship. I don’t need to give you any examples; you have plenty of your own.

Yet since we are created in the image of God, he calls us to make our relationships count for something. That something is to bring glory to him in doing for others what he does for us. It’s to reflect the character of God in how we relate to others. It’s giving people another chance and not writing them off.

This is not something we can do on our own, however. Many of the relational obstacles we encounter can only be effectively dealt with by means of spiritual wisdom, strength, and power that comes from God.

Take forgiveness, for example. To truly forgive someone who sinned against us is a relational obstacle that is only overcome in our hearts through God’s power.

What About You?

How about you? What obstacles in your relationships are tempting you to write them off? Could it be that God wants to use those difficulties to draw you to depend on him and his strength?

If we let him, it will bring out the best in us, and the best in others.

Thank you Marilyn from Minnesota for stimulating our thinking. Thank you for wanting to make each day count, just as we should make each relationship count.

I’m wondering what the rest of you think. Would love to hear from you.

Until Next Time

There's more to come next Wednesday. While you wait for season 4 of You Were Made for This to resume on September 9th, you can browse through all 3 seasons and 67 episodes when you scroll down the list below.