A Transactional Relationship
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” - James 1:2-4
Is your relationship with God dependent on your circumstances? Does your faith rise and fall by what is happening in your life? If so, your spiritual relationship with God is transactional.
A transactional relationship occurs when one person does something to receive something is return. There is no giving without receiving. There is no benevolence without results.
It is not always easily recognizable. But we may tell ourselves, I will praise God when I see the blessing. Or I will pray when everything is my life is going well. However, we know this is not a relationship built on faith.
Jesus had nothing to gain from dying on the Cross for us. He did not say, those people will not serve me, or they do not like me so I will not make the sacrifice. He died because it was the only way for us to spend eternity in heaven with Him and the Father. The Lord did not design us to have transactional relationships, not with others, and not with Him.
Everyone will sign up for something they can benefit from. But what God wants is for us to trust Him, love Him, and follow Him even when it doesn't make sense. It requires sacrifice.
James 1:2-4 says, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”
The Lord allows tough times in our lives because He wants to grow our faith. In moments like these, let your faith grow and endure the difficult times. Do not allow your relationship with God to be transactional because God wants so much more for you than that.
Is your relationship with God dependent on your circumstances? Does your faith rise and fall by what is happening in your life? If so, your spiritual relationship with God is transactional.
A transactional relationship occurs when one person does something to receive something is return. There is no giving without receiving. There is no benevolence without results.
It is not always easily recognizable. But we may tell ourselves, I will praise God when I see the blessing. Or I will pray when everything is my life is going well. However, we know this is not a relationship built on faith.
Jesus had nothing to gain from dying on the Cross for us. He did not say, those people will not serve me, or they do not like me so I will not make the sacrifice. He died because it was the only way for us to spend eternity in heaven with Him and the Father. The Lord did not design us to have transactional relationships, not with others, and not with Him.
Everyone will sign up for something they can benefit from. But what God wants is for us to trust Him, love Him, and follow Him even when it doesn't make sense. It requires sacrifice.
James 1:2-4 says, “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”
The Lord allows tough times in our lives because He wants to grow our faith. In moments like these, let your faith grow and endure the difficult times. Do not allow your relationship with God to be transactional because God wants so much more for you than that.
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