What's Next?

Whether you heard the message from Sunday or are part of one of our “What’s Next” groups at Venture, here’s a way for you to go deeper.

this week's next steps

I will take the relationship survey this week

Ask the Holy Spirit for help to renew my relationships

I will register for the marriage conference on February 13-14

Say yes to Jesus - click here

This week's Bible reading plan

This week's fill-in notes

This week's study

In the beginning, God established a "very good" design for human connection, creating a world where relationship with Him and with others was seamless, transparent, and full of joy. However, we live in the tension of a fallen world where a deceptive enemy seeks to distort that original beauty. Whether through the pressures of culture or the pull of our own desires, we often find ourselves drifting away from the divine pattern. Yet, the heart of the Gospel offers us the gift of sanctification—the ongoing, holy process of being set apart and made pure. Our relationships, particularly our marriages, are not meant to be static; they are meant to be a primary training ground where God refines us, heals us, and moves us back toward His perfect design.

Living out this divine pattern requires a conscious choice to resist the "patterns of this world" that prioritize self-gratification and temporary happiness over holiness and endurance. Culture often tells us that if a relationship is hard, it is bad, or that our primary goal is to be served. But the biblical way is one of sacrificial love and a commitment to honor God with our bodies and our hearts. When we align our lives with the truth that we were "bought at a price," we find a new freedom. True intimacy is found not in the absence of struggle, but in the presence of the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to choose patience, kindness, and self-control even when it is counter-cultural to do so.

Today, remember that your choices dictate your outcomes, but your past does not have to dictate your future. God’s mercies are new every morning, offering a fresh start to anyone willing to repent and realign their heart with His Word. Whether you are single, dating, or married, God is inviting you into a deeper level of relational health. By choosing to seek His joy as your strength and His Word as your moral compass, you can experience a transformation that renovates your mind and restores your soul. Trust that as you work toward holiness, the Lord is faithful to "tighten the knot" of your commitments and lead you into a life of peace and purpose.

Questions to Consider:

When you think of "relationship goals," what mental image comes to mind? How does the reality of "walking through the mud" change or deepen that perception?
Genesis describes God’s creation as "very good." In what ways have you seen the "patterns of the world" distort what God originally intended for relationships and sexuality?
The message defined sanctification as the process of being made holy or pure. How does viewing your marriage or your friendships as a "process of sanctification" change the way you handle conflict or disappointment?
Romans 12:2 warns us not to conform to the pattern of this world. What is one specific "worldly pattern" regarding relationships (e.g., self-first, happiness-driven, easy-exit) that you find most difficult to resist?
Culture often suggests that our partners should be the source of our joy. How does anchoring your joy in the Lord (Nehemiah 8:10) actually make you a better friend or spouse?
What is one practical step you can take this week to "renew your mind" and align your relationship habits more closely with the love described in 1 Corinthians 13?