Relationship Goals: God's Design

Free Church
2 days ago
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Relationship Goals: God's Design | Gareth Nicholson | 01 February 2026

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Relationships matter. Whether you’re single, dating, married, previously married, or somewhere in between - this series is for you. Because before relationships are about romance, status, or social media perfection, they’re about connection. And at the core of every healthy relationship is one essential truth: God is relational, and He designed us for relationships too.

God’s Design: Not Alone, But Together

In Genesis 2, God looks at Adam and says, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” He creates a helper corresponding to him. The Hebrew phrase used here - Ezer Kenegdo -doesn’t mean assistant or servant. It means fellow warrior. Someone who stands alongside, not beneath. Someone who fights with you, not against you.

Marriage, according to God’s design, is a partnership. Two people standing shoulder to shoulder, united in purpose. But this message goes beyond marriage - it speaks to all relationships.

The Illusion of “Relationship Goals”

Scroll through social media, and you’ll see perfectly curated moments: matching outfits, sunset photos, smiling couples. We label them relationship goals. However, what we often don’t see is the story behind the photo - the tension, the frustration, the difficult conversations, and the real work.

Healthy relationships aren’t built on appearances. They’re built on truth, commitment, growth, and grace.

Wholeness Doesn’t Come From Another Person

Culture tells us we’re incomplete without “the one.” But Scripture tells a different story. The idea that two halves make a whole comes from Greek mythology - not the Bible.

Paul writes in Colossians 2 that our completeness is found in Christ. No person can complete you. Marriage doesn’t fix brokenness - it often exposes it. Biblical marriage is two imperfect people in covenant, each finding healing and wholeness in Jesus.

A Biblical Framework for Relationships

Scripture gives us clear relationship pathways:

Marriage - A holy covenant between a man and a woman, rooted in faithfulness and commitment.
Singleness - Not married and not sexually active, free to serve God wholeheartedly.
Celibacy - A calling for some, marked by devotion and purpose in God’s kingdom.

Each path has dignity. Your marital status does not determine your spiritual effectiveness. How you live within that season does.

Relationship Goals That Actually Matter

At Free Church, we’re redefining relationship goals. Not happiness. Not perfection. Not social media aesthetics.

Instead, we’re focusing on four God-honoring goals:

Christ-Centered – Jesus at the center of everything.
Character-Forming – Allowing the Holy Spirit to shape who we’re becoming.
Boundary-Keeping – Creating healthy, respectful limits in relationships.
Mission-Driven – Living with purpose, for God’s glory.

When Jesus is at the center, everything else flows from there—our values, decisions, actions, and influence.

Being Christ-Centered Is a Lifestyle

Calling yourself a Christian is not the same as living a Christ-centered life. A label is easy. A lifestyle takes intention.

Whatever sits at the center of your life - self, status, money, success, even your kids - will shape how you live and how you love. Jesus invites us to place Him at the center so He can bring order, freedom, and life.

So how do we start?

Read the Bible and pray - every day. It doesn’t have to be long. It just has to be consistent. Even one minute a day can begin to re-center your life around Jesus.

And if you’re married, there’s power in doing this together. Praying together softens hearts, builds unity, and makes it very hard to stay divided.

The Ultimate Relationship Command

Jesus summed it up best:

Love God. Love people.

But He added something important - love your neighbor as yourself. When we learn to see ourselves the way God sees us, we become healthier people who build healthier relationships.

This series isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress. And it starts by putting Jesus back at the center.

Life Group Discussion Questions

What currently sits at the center of my life - Jesus, myself, success, approval, or something else?
How does what’s at the center influence my decisions, priorities, and relationships?
In what ways have I looked to another person to complete me instead of looking to Jesus?
What would it look like practically for me to become more Christ-centered this week?
If I’m married, how could praying or reading the Bible together strengthen our relationship?
How does learning to love myself the way God loves me affect how I love others?