Scripture

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

Consider

When we choose to follow Christ, he takes ownership of everything about us—our bodies, our thoughts and behaviors, our plans, our dreams. He gives us the Holy Spirit to help us align our hearts with his and to accomplish the work he has particularly assigned each of us to do.

In addition, the price he paid for us includes his right to lordship over our relationships.

What does that mean? According to Romans 7:4, it means that we invest ourselves in our relationships always with the intent to bear fruit to God. We honor God and bring glory to his Name when we treat one another kindly and patiently, when we put another’s needs ahead of our own, when we keep our promises and forgive another’s hurtful treatment of us.

Our submission to Christ’s lordship becomes most apparent—and perhaps most difficult—when our relationships are troubled. Dealing with a difficult person challenges us to repeatedly lay aside our private desires in favor of God’s desires. When we are tempted to respond to offensive people with angry speech or a cold shoulder or secret backbiting, then we can remember that Christ bought even this irksome relationship for a high price, and it is his right to determine the outcome. He asks us to submit to him our attitudes, our feelings, and our will so that he, in turn, can direct our responses according to his own plans and purposes, not ours.

Pray

FATHER, you know the difficulties I have had with particular people in my life. I ask you now to be lord of those relationships. I surrender my heart to your purpose and my habits for your correction. Give me grace through your Spirit to change my thoughts and attitudes, to be careful with my words, and to be ever mindful that everything I say and do reflects on you, my Lord.

Reflect

Luke 6:43-45; Romans 7:4

Ponder

If I give control of my difficult relationship to Christ, what might he ask me to do?