Building Flourishing Relationships Through Love and Community

 

Summary

Today, we gather to embrace the complexity of life, acknowledging both its joys and sorrows. We are reminded that this is the day the Lord has made, and we are called to rejoice in it, even amidst challenges. We think of our community members facing difficult times, like a friend entering hospice care and a young couple overwhelmed by the demands of parenting. In these moments, we find strength in our shared journey, lifting each other up through prayer and support.

Our lives are shaped by habits, and today we explore the formation of habits that lead to flourishing relationships. A comprehensive study on human flourishing, which began in 1938, reveals that strong relationships are the key to a meaningful and joyful life. This finding aligns with the biblical command to love God and our neighbors. As we consider habit formation, we focus on developing habits that foster love and connection.

To assess our relational well-being, we can reflect on questions about our friendships, comfort in social interactions, and the support network we have. Jesus' teaching in Luke 11 about asking for help highlights the importance of community and the power of asking. Asking is a way to honor others and build connections, forming the foundation of a community rooted in prayerful love.

We are encouraged to cultivate habits that enhance our relationships, such as expressing affection and finding ways to connect with others daily. Simple actions, like sending a thoughtful text or sharing a moment of connection, can build the rhythms of love into our lives. Love, after all, is a habit we can form intentionally.

Key Takeaways:

1. Embrace the complexity of life by acknowledging both joy and sorrow. In community, we find strength to rejoice even in difficult times, supporting each other through prayer and shared experiences. This shared journey helps us avoid despair and find gratitude in every moment. [01:13]

2. Strong relationships are the foundation of a flourishing life. A long-term study shows that relationships predict joy and meaning more than IQ, achievement, or wealth. Loving God and our neighbors is central to building a strong life. [03:08]

3. Assessing our relational well-being involves honest reflection on our friendships and support networks. Acknowledging loneliness and seeking to improve our social fitness can lead to deeper connections and a more fulfilling life. [04:39]

4. Jesus teaches the power of asking in building community. Asking for help or clarity in relationships honors others and strengthens bonds. This habit of asking is central to a community of prayerful love. [06:46]

5. Cultivate habits that enhance relationships, such as expressing affection and finding daily connections. Simple actions, like sending a text or sharing a moment, can build love into our lives, making love a habitual practice. [10:29]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:41] - Embracing Joy and Sorrow
- [01:26] - Community Support
- [02:07] - Study on Human Flourishing
- [03:22] - Habits for Strong Relationships
- [03:49] - Assessing Social Fitness
- [04:25] - Reflecting on Friendships
- [05:11] - The Power of Asking
- [06:04] - Jesus' Teaching on Community
- [07:16] - Building Relational Habits
- [08:25] - Expressing Affection
- [09:06] - Habit Stacking for Love
- [10:00] - Daily Connection Practices
- [10:45] - Closing Remarks

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Luke 11:5-10

Observation Questions:
1. What does Jesus' story in Luke 11:5-10 illustrate about the nature of asking and community? How does this relate to the sermon’s emphasis on the power of asking? [06:04]
2. According to the sermon, what are some of the challenges faced by community members, and how does the community support them? [01:26]
3. What were the key findings of the long-term study on human flourishing mentioned in the sermon? How do these findings align with biblical teachings? [02:54]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the act of asking, as taught by Jesus in Luke 11, serve to build and strengthen community relationships? What might this suggest about the role of vulnerability in relationships? [06:46]
2. The sermon mentions the importance of acknowledging loneliness. How might this acknowledgment lead to deeper connections and a more fulfilling life? [04:39]
3. In what ways do the habits we form impact our ability to love God and our neighbors? How can these habits be intentionally cultivated according to the sermon? [03:22]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you faced a challenge similar to those mentioned in the sermon, such as exhaustion or sorrow. How did your community support you, and how can you offer similar support to others now? [01:37]
2. Consider your current relationships. Are there any habits you can develop to strengthen these connections, such as regular communication or acts of kindness? What specific steps will you take this week? [10:29]
3. The sermon highlights the importance of asking for help. Is there an area in your life where you need assistance but have hesitated to ask? How can you practice the habit of asking this week? [07:16]
4. Reflect on your social fitness as discussed in the sermon. Are there areas where you feel lonely or disconnected? What practical steps can you take to improve your relational well-being? [04:39]
5. The sermon suggests simple actions like sending a thoughtful text to build love into our lives. Identify one person you can reach out to this week with a message of encouragement or support. [10:29]
6. How can you incorporate the practice of expressing affection into your daily routine, whether with family, friends, or community members? What specific action will you commit to this week? [09:06]
7. Think about a relationship where you feel uncertain or confused. How can you apply the habit of asking to gain clarity and strengthen this relationship? [07:31]

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing Life's Complexity with Gratitude
In life, we encounter both joy and sorrow, and it is essential to embrace this complexity with gratitude. Acknowledging the challenges faced by community members, such as a friend entering hospice care or a young couple overwhelmed by parenting, reminds us of the strength found in shared experiences. By supporting each other through prayer and community, we can find reasons to rejoice even in difficult times. This shared journey helps us avoid despair and cultivate gratitude in every moment. [01:13]

"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality." (Romans 12:12-13, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a recent challenge you faced. How can you find gratitude in that situation today, and who in your community can you support through prayer or action?


Day 2: Relationships as the Foundation of a Flourishing Life
Strong relationships are crucial for a meaningful and joyful life. A comprehensive study on human flourishing, which began in 1938, reveals that relationships predict joy and meaning more than IQ, achievement, or wealth. This aligns with the biblical command to love God and our neighbors. By focusing on building strong relationships, we can create a life filled with purpose and joy. [03:08]

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!" (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, ESV)

Reflection: Identify one relationship in your life that needs strengthening. What specific action can you take today to nurture and invest in that relationship?


Day 3: Reflecting on Relational Well-being
Assessing our relational well-being involves honest reflection on our friendships and support networks. By acknowledging loneliness and seeking to improve our social fitness, we can foster deeper connections and a more fulfilling life. Reflecting on questions about our friendships and comfort in social interactions can guide us in building a supportive community. [04:39]

"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6:2, ESV)

Reflection: Consider your current support network. Is there someone you know who might be feeling lonely? How can you reach out to them today to offer support and companionship?


Day 4: The Power of Asking in Building Community
Jesus teaches the importance of asking for help in building community. Asking for help or clarity in relationships honors others and strengthens bonds. This habit of asking is central to a community of prayerful love, as it fosters connection and mutual support. By embracing the power of asking, we can create a more connected and loving community. [06:46]

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a situation where you need help or clarity. Who can you reach out to today to ask for support or guidance, and how might this strengthen your relationship with them?


Day 5: Cultivating Habits of Love and Connection
Cultivating habits that enhance relationships involves expressing affection and finding daily connections. Simple actions, like sending a thoughtful text or sharing a moment of connection, can build the rhythms of love into our lives. Love is a habit we can form intentionally, and by doing so, we create a life filled with meaningful relationships. [10:29]

"Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)

Reflection: What is one small action you can take today to express love and connection to someone in your life? How can you make this a daily habit to strengthen your relationships?

Quotes


I think about a friend who has been a part of The Prayer Ministry for our little Community together The Fellowship of the withered hand and has prayed for many of you and I just got word as now has been battling with a disease and has come home and gone into hospice. [00:00:38]

We seek to experience lament and sorrow and question and pain and gratitude and rejoice and not to live in despair, so in a way that is not at all glib and that Embraces the sorrow as well this is the day, and it's possible somehow because we do it together. [00:01:09]

There was a study, the most famous longitudinal study and the most thorough that has ever been done on human flourishing, and what enables human beings to live a life of meaning and joy. It started back in 1938, 724 participants, a number of them young Harvard students and then the other half low-income people of about the same age from Boston. [00:02:02]

After all of those years, the number one finding is that strong relationships make for a flourishing life, create human Joy. It is a much stronger prediction than IQ or achievement or attractiveness or wealth. Go figure, love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, love your neighbor as yourself. [00:02:57]

Assessing our relational well-being involves honest reflection on our friendships and support networks. Acknowledging loneliness and seeking to improve our social fitness can lead to deeper connections and a more fulfilling life. It's often difficult for us to acknowledge loneliness in our day even though it is an epidemic. [00:04:37]

Jesus said, suppose you have a friend and you go to him at midnight, middle of the night and say to him, friend lend me three loaves of bread, friend of mine on a journey has come to me and I have no food to offer him. And suppose them on inside answers Jesus is kind of saying can you imagine this. [00:06:01]

I tell you even though he will not get up and give you the bread because a friendship yet because of your Shameless audacity Jesus as he will surely get up and give you as much as you need so I say to you ask and it will be given seeking you will find knock and the door will be open. [00:06:26]

When we demand that divides, when we judge manipulate that divides, when we ask it unites because it's a way to honor your will and your personhood, and so here's a habit that you can think about for today when I need something, I will ask. [00:07:04]

Asking in a way that lets somebody else know about my own heart and my vulnerabilities and my needs and my desires and my wishes it's a way of letting people know about me and it's a way of also honoring their will honoring their little kingdom asking is the Great Law of the Kingdom. [00:07:33]

I was thinking about close friendships. I have some people that I'm close to where eye to eye contact is something they love and then other people where actually that's a harder thing for them, but shoulder to shoulder C.S Lewis used to talk about in some relationships were face to face and in some were shoulder to shoulder. [00:08:25]

Another little habit I was reading John Goblin the marriage researcher decided a study that indicates that husbands who kiss their wives goodbye in the morning live I'm not making this up on average five years longer than husbands or spouses who do not. [00:08:50]

I love the idea of finding an easy way to build the rhythms of love and connection into my life because love is habit for me. [00:10:37]

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?