How to build eternal relationships

Have you ever wondered if a relationship can last forever? Let’s find out what the bible says.

Love one another

In 1 Peter 1:22-24, we are taught to love one another from the heart because our bonds are not fleeting like the flowers in a field but enduring like the word of God. The Bible suggests that the love between us is eternal, just like God’s love for us.

²² Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. ²³ For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. ²⁴ For,

“All people are like grass,
    and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers and the flowers fall,

1 Peter 1:22-24

Let’s take a moment to think about it: If we know that our relationships are eternal, wouldn’t it encourage us to love more genuinely now? Also, knowing this, might we treat each other with more patience and understanding?

Dealing with conflicts

Say you disagreed with someone at your church and decided to avoid them. But if we are all going to meet in heaven, running away from resolutions here on Earth seems a bit silly, right? It’s like leaving a movie theater because you didn’t like the trailer!

Here’s a reflection: think of a time when you struggled with love or forgiveness. How did you overcome it? Were you able to find peace by reconciling with the person, just as God reconciles with us despite our flaws?

This life offers us a chance to prepare for eternal relationships by cultivating love, understanding, and deep connections.

We must remember that our relationships here are a precursor to our eternal relationships in heaven. It might seem easy to hold a grudge now, but how will we explain that to God when we stand before Him with the person we aren’t on good terms with?

Loving God and people

In 1 John 4:20-21, we’re reminded that loving God and loving people are actually two sides of the same coin.

²⁰ Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. ²¹ And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

1 John 4:20-21

We are fooling ourselves if we say we love God but harbor hatred towards someone.

The vicious cycle of pain

It’s a journey that we all face. Someone has wronged us. Our personal pain hinders our ability to love. The more we think about it and act on it, the more unhappy we are.

And we feel more pain.

There’s only one way to break this vicious cycle of pain: Extending love to others. As we reach out, share, and pray for one another, we take steps towards healing and creating a community that mirrors heaven on Earth.

What you can do to build eternal relationships

This week, challenge yourself:

1. Call a friend and pray with and for them (James 5:16).
2. Share a personal challenge with someone you trust (1 John 1:7).
3. Follow up with someone about a concern they shared with you earlier and show that you genuinely care.

Choose love instead of pain. It not only makes our friendships on Earth better but also gets us ready for friendships in heaven that last forever.