Relationships are a beautiful thing. Friendships, families, and dating relationships can give you a sense of belonging, a feeling of purpose, and an overall joy. I have been blessed to grow up in a loving family, be surrounded by amazing friends, and find myself with the most kind-hearted boyfriend there could be. These are the people that provide me with such joy and happiness each and every day. So what could be the problem?
As in every relationship, there are ups and downs. Sometimes the downs completely wreck you; sometimes they are simply small bumps in the road. My family and I have had our moments. Arguments, or discussions, can break out over the smallest things. With friendships, the same is true. Those things that may seem huge to you may be insignificant in the mind of another. I have come to find over the last few years that this is all magnified when it involved the person with whom you want to spend the rest of your life. You want the things that matter to you to matter to him/her. When you are down, you want them to be there to pick you up. In God’s perfect plan, though, He didn’t create someone the exact same as you to be your other half. The two of you may be polar opposites, or you may be rather similar, but they are not going to be you.
How do you overcome the obstacles of life with another person when you may have different views on some things or different dreams or simply different communication styles?
My answer: I don’t know. People have been trying to figure out the romantic relationship dynamics for centuries. Some people, like my parents, seem to have it figured out, though they confess it has never been all sunshine and roses. I have come to realize that in my relationships, God is the only thing that can balance out our differences in some situations. Each and every relationship that I am a part of has to be you, me, and God. There is no other way that the ups and downs of life become a part of a beautiful story, rather than regrets that mar the past.
You, me, and God begins with a decision. It’s a choice to include God in your relationship; it isn’t easy. Sometimes you want to run with a feeling, that moment that you are so happy or angry or excited and you just want to do what you want to do. Making God the decision-maker changes everything. You don’t get to make the choices. The beautiful thing, though, is you no longer bear the weight of your mistakes or become puffed up with the pride of your successes. Everything becomes God’s in that moment. I wish that I could say that I have mastered this lifestyle of letting God be in control, but I am far from it. I like to think that I have a pretty good handle on things most of the time, until I wind up overwhelmed and wondering how this could happen when I had “everything under control.” The truth of which I am constantly being reminded is that God is the only one who can control everything. I am merely fooling myself to even think that I can do life’s big and small decisions on my own. So I will begin with the decision to not make the decisions and see what God may want for my relationships instead, taking the first step to a life of you, me, and God.
Writer Bio
Shelby is a Senior Elementary Education major with a Spanish minor. She works as a barista and spends mornings in a 2nd grade class as a student teacher. As an Air Force brat, she has moved all around the United States and traveled to several other countries. In her free time, Shelby loves spending time with her family, adventuring with her boyfriend, and making memories with her friends. In every area of her life, God comes first, although she has to remind herself to trust Him in every situation. Through writing, Shelby hopes to show people the great grace of her Savior and how to live life to the fullest.
