IMG_0440

We need to connect with God and also with others.

If we are women who are serious about ‘Deepening our relationships’, we need to connect with God and also with others.

God uses people to shape people.

And the Holy Spirit longs to be powerfully at work in every encounter we have as human beings with one another.

What makes human life flourish?

In an academic journal, research studying ‘What makes human life flourish?’ published its findings, distinguishing quite happy people from less happy people.

One factor separated the two groups.

It was not . . .
  • how much money you have
  • it was not your health
  • security
  • attractiveness
  • IQ
  • or career success

The consistent factor was the presence of rich, deep joy-producing, life-changing, meaningful relationships.

We all need to spend meaningful time with people who care about us. This is indispensable to human flourishing!

Being made in the image of God means that we have an innate capacity for connectedness.

The apostle Paul painted a picture of connectedness when he wrote to the church in Ephesus praying for them to be ‘rooted and established in love’. He was speaking about being rooted and established in God’s love, showing us the Fathers heart for intimacy, and then from this overflow, we are able to connect with others.

Being made in the image of God means that we have an innate capacity for connectedness.

It is not good for man to be alone. – Genesis 2:18

Just like a tree whose roots are established – enables it to grow giving life and strength, so too we will grow when established in God’s love and when we are in life-giving relationships.

The single most common finding on ‘life satisfaction’ around the world, is that happiness is best predicted by the breadth and depth of one’s social connections. – Social researcher Robert Putnam

We languish when we are disconnected from God and people

We flourish when we are connected to God and people and we languish when we are disconnected.
When we live in isolation, we are more likely to give in to temptation or discouragement.
We are more likely to become self-absorbed or to spend money in selfish ways.

Anyone who does not love, remains in death. – 1 John 3:14

Not only do we suffer when we live in disconnectedness, but the other people whom God placed around us, get cheated out of the love God intended us to give them. Whenever there is an exchange of genuine caring, the ‘roots’ of your soul are being fed. Every life has to have that connectedness.

Use opportunities to connect with others

There are many opportunities for each of us to connect and have these life giving relationships.

  • You can join a connect group or start a connect group.
  • Find and make friends.
  • Just trust God with the love that He’s placed in you and touch someone else.

Happy flourishing!

Acknowledgements: John Ortberg

Nicola Pearce

Nicola, together with her husband Roger, pastors Every Nation Church in Rosebank, Johannesburg. They have been married for 25 years and are loving raising their two teenage sons. Her passion is for prayer and seeing people’s lives practically changed by the Word of God.