When you have established a relationship with the Lord, there will be times it will become strained. This will occur when you expect the Lord to fix a situation that has raised its ugly head, and it appears the Lord is doing nothing about it. Since you have created this bond with the Lord, why has He allowed this to happen?  I don’t have the answer to this question, but I do have a few thoughts about it. Maybe you are dealing with this unexpected situation from the perspective of thinking: God’s got you. Yes, the Lord has you, but He expects you to share with Him what you are dealing with. This is how a relationship grows because you remain in constant communication with the Lord. This is the key for your relationship with the Lord to continue to flourish and grow. In essence, the Lord does not want you to take Him for granted but to always acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. Some make the mistake of thinking their relationship with the Lord is good, but they fail to stay in communication with Him. If this happens, you will find yourself worrying and not praying. Worry will grab a hold of you and cause you to loose sight of where your help comes from. 

In Philippians 4:4-7, Paul is sharing with them the do’s and don’ts of establishing a loving, powerful, and lasting relationship with the Lord. The first thing Paul shared with the Church is “rejoice in the Lord always”, and he repeats this statement. The question is, are you delighted with your relationship with the Lord? In order to be delighted in the Lord, you are excited about your relationship. You have seen what the Lord has done and will continue to do for you. You always make it a point to stay in consistent communication with Him. Therefore, no matter what you are going through you always share it with the Lord and He has always made a way for you. This is why you are always able to rejoice in the Lord. This is why you can’t keep your relationship with the Lord quiet because He has never failed you. You have to let people know the Lord is near, and waiting to hear from you. Since you know the proximity of the Lord, worrying is not an option. You will place your energy in praying to the Lord and making your request known to the Lord. Also, you will have a heart of thanksgiving, because the Lord is near and is blessing you while you are praying. What you gain through praying is God’s peace, which surpasses all understanding. Some people may look at you and do not understand why you pray, but you made it this far by praying. When you pray you know the Lord will guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Through your relationship with the Lord you are growing spiritually.

If you follow the Lord’s do’s which Paul lays out, then your relationship with the Lord can’t do anything except grow. When you delight (rejoice) in the Lord, everything else will fall in line because you understand the do’s that will bless you on this journey of Life. Continue to walk in your blessings!