Your Christian Walk: Relational or Transactional?
- 21stcglmediateam
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV)
How is your relationship with God? Is it relational or transactional? Do you feel you have to perform certain tasks or behave in a certain manner for God to grant your desires? For you to be approved by God? For you and your family to earn salvation? So many treat their relationship with God as a transaction that they must undertake, in order to obtain favors and blessings from our Heavenly Father.
When you are pursuing another person for a relationship, you are hopefully being sincere and honest in your pursuit and not looking for it to be transactional. You are pursuing this relationship because you really enjoy getting to know this person and spending time with them. In many respects, this should be our same approach in pursuing a relationship with God. As His children, we should want to get close to Him, to understand His ways, and to learn how we should behave in this world and towards each other.
In seeking a relationship and a walk with God, He is not looking for us to have a check-the-box mentality with our Christianity. Meaning, if we go to church – check, if we return tithes and offerings – check, if we get involved with various church activities – check. All of these are well-meaning and good however, if we are doing them as a checkmark, God is not pleased.
God is longing for a relational interaction with His children, not transactional. As His children, He will grant and bestow upon us many blessings and favors, but that does not mean we should seek to have a transactional attitude and/or relationship with Him. We should not be looking to play the role of being Christ-like to earn favor with God; in an attempt to get our wishes granted as if He were some sort of Genie from a bottle.
We must let go of the check-the-box / transactional mentality and move toward an honest and pure relational connection with our Father. God wants us to get to know His ways, His heart, and His mind, by reading the Bible, going to a Bible-believing church, and having a prayer life. By doing this on a consistent basis, we will be on the path of having a deep and meaningful relationship with God.
As we journey through life from this day forward, may we make it a priority to establish and maintain a relational connection with God, and stay away from the transactional/check-the-box mentality.
Blessings,
Angélique 💐
To contact: 21stcglmediateam@gmail.com
