Emotionally Healthy Relationships
In their first episode about relationships, Fellowship staff talk about emotionally healthy relationships, and putting your significance in Christ, not in your friends.
Matt is joined by Katie Neely, Stacie Johnson, and Clark Stevens. After a brief introduction of everyone, Stacie starts the conversation about what it looks like to have a healthy relationship with someone, referencing David and Jonathan in the Old Testament, and Mary and Martha in the New Testament.
Clark suggests that there is a difference between a healthy relationship and an emotionally healthy relationship; he states that the emotionally healthy relationship has to start at the individual level so that we can then have empathy and sympathy towards others, as well as humility.
Katie shifts the conversation to talking about unhealthy relationships, and how those are self-serving. Instead, she reiterates, we need to look to Christ to fill our needs, not our friends. On this subject, Clark brings up James 4 and the idea of being perfect in a relationship to gain the other person's trust.
Stacie references Psalm 139 as a tool to help listeners who want to have healthy relationships but don't. Katie adds that reminding ourselves of who God says we are in Him is a great way to seek significance from God instead of others. Clark also suggests using Colossians 3 as a helpful tool.
Clark transitions to speaking into traumatic relationships, and how important it is to learn that God is our refuge and will never abandon us. Stacie conveys that it's necessary to admit when we've been hurt in a relationship, but to go to God with that pain because healing starts with Him.
For more information on this podcast, visit podcast.fellowshipknox.org
