Are You Pulling or Pushing?

Are Your Relationships Pulling You Closer to God or Pushing You Away?

There’s a saying that we are the net result of the five people we spend the most time with. Reflecting on different seasons of my life, I can see this truth more clearly than ever. While it may not always be five people directly, the essence of the saying holds up. For example, I think back to my days at Old Dominion University, where choosing parties over homework often impacted my ability to do my best.

Then, there were the years spent working on race cars after college. Every free moment outside of work was spent at the race shop or the track. Most Sundays didn’t start until lunchtime because late Saturday nights were the norm, and at the time, I didn’t see a problem with those choices.

Looking back now, it’s clear that many of the men influencing my life then were not pursuing God, and as a result, my resolve to do so faded. Perhaps you’ve experienced something similar. While those relationships were enjoyable in the moment, few have stood the test of time because my pursuit of God eventually took me down a different path.

This realization led me to ask a simple but powerful question about every relationship: Is this person pulling me closer to God or pushing me further away? This question, rooted in the wisdom of Psalm 25, has been invaluable in guiding and shaping my relationships. It also challenged me to establish boundaries about who I allow to speak into my life.

Now for an even tougher consideration: If someone else were to ask the same question about you, what would their answer be?

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