Reflection Questions:
Sample Prayer:
God, help me love difficult people the way You love me. Open doors for me to build meaningful, Christ-centered friendships. Provide for my needs in a way that shows Your faithfulness. Help me trust You with my finances and live generously.
Well, hey friends, this is Bobby McGraw and I'm so glad you're with us on today's weekday podcast. You've been tracking with us this week. You know that we're in a series called what Only God Can Do. This is episode four and today we're focusing on two key areas where I think we need God's power at work in our lives, our relationships and our finances. Now, I don't know about you, but I've found that these two areas, our relationships and our financial situation, are often where we feel the most pressure. Relationships can be messy. People honestly can be difficult. And no matter how much we plan or budget, there are times when financial uncertainty creeps in. But here's the good news. God cares about both of these areas. God is not distant, he is not indifferent. He is actively at work and there are things that only he can do when it comes to our relationships and our finances. So let's start with relationships. Let's think about relationships and influence the social part of our lives. Maybe you've prayed something like this before. God help me love difficult people the way that you love me or God. Would you open doors for me to build meaningful Christ centered friendships? Now that first one is tough, isn't it? We've all had those people in our lives, the ones who test our patience. They challenge our kindness or they seem impossible to love. Sometimes it's a co worker, a neighbor, or even someone in our own family. But here's the reality. God does call us to love people, not just when it's easy, but especially when it's hard. Why? Because that's exactly how he loves us. Romans 5:8 reminds us. But God demonstrates His own love for us and that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. We were not easy to love. We were rebellious, we were selfish, we were broken. And yet Jesus loved us first. That means that when we love difficult people, we're simply extending the same grace we've already received. So how do we do this? Well, one is we pray for them. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:44 Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. When we pray for someone, God changes our heart towards them. 2. See them the way that Jesus sees them. Every person, even the difficult ones is made in the image of God. He loves them just as much as he loves you. Number three Set boundaries with love. Loving someone doesn't mean tolerating toxic behavior. Jesus had clear boundaries and we can too. But we can still love people from a place of grace and not bitterness. And there's the second part. God opened doors for me to build meaningful, Christ centered friendships. We were never meant to do life alone. Proverbs 27:17 says, as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Real friendships make us better. They keep us accountable. They encourage us when we're down and celebrate with us in the good times. And so if you're in a season where you feel alone, I just want to encourage you. Pray for the right people. Ask God to bring the kind of friendships into your life that will strengthen your faith and at the same time take a step of faith. Join a small group. Find a place to serve. Be intentional about reaching out. Great friendships don't just happen, they're built now. What about finances? What about provision and generosity? Well, there's two prayers here that get right at the heart of financial struggles. One prayer is, God, provide for my needs in a way that shows your faithfulness. And another prayer is, help me to trust you with my finances and to live generously. One of the most challenging things in life is trusting God. When money feels tight, when the bills are piling up, when the job situation is uncertain, when there's more month left than money, it's easy to let anxiety take over. But throughout Scripture, God reminds us that he is our provider. Philippians 4:19 says, and my God will meet all of your needs according to his riches and glory in Christ Jesus. Not some of your needs, all of them. But here's where it gets tricky. God's provision doesn't always look like we expect. Sometimes he provides by giving us a new job opportunity. Sometimes he provides through the generosity of others. And sometimes he provides by teaching us contentment in what we already have. The key is to trust that he sees what we need even before we ask. Matthew 6:31 33 says so do not worry, saying, what shall we eat? Or what shall we drink? Or what shall we wear? For the pagans run after all these things, and your Heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So what does that look like practically? 1. Ask God to provide and then trust his timing. Don't just pray once. Keep bringing your needs to him. 2. Be a good steward of what he's already given you. This means being wise and spending and saving and giving. 3. Live generously even when it feels risky, the world says hold tight to what you have and God says trust me and be generous. Proverbs 11:25 reminds us a generous person will prosper. Whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. I love how God flips the script. The more we trust, the more we give, the more he provides. And it's not about getting rich. It's about living with open hands and trusting God will always take care of his people. So today as we wrap up, I want to challenge you. Who's that difficult person in your life that you need to love better? Pray for them today. Do you need a stronger Christ centered friendships? Ask God to open doors and be willing to step out. Are you worried about finances? Lay it before God and choose to trust him with what you have. And here's the truth. God is already at work in these areas. He sees your need, he knows your struggle and he is more than able to do what only he can do. Let's pray together today. Father, thank you for how you care about every single area of our lives, including our relationships, our finances and everything in between. Help us to love others the way that you love us. Open doors for deep Christ centered friendships. Provide for our needs and teach us to trust you completely. Help us to live generously knowing that you are the source. We love you. We trust you in Jesus name. Amen. Well thanks so much for being with us on the weekday podcast. I'll be back with you tomorrow as we continue our journey through what only God can do. Until then, keep trusting, keep praying and remember God is already at work in your life. Go in peace.
