2:357 – Family Can Be Great And Terrible

#faithbites #faithjourney family

When I’m upset or mad, do you know who gets it the worst from me? My family and friends. Why? Because they love me and will forgive me. Is it right? No. And I try better each time.

Today, I’ve seen one of my friend’s family members torn by not communicating and false assumptions. The pain in their eyes was devastating. I’ve seen people go years not talking to each other because of family squabbles

On the flip side, I’ve seen family come out of the woodwork. From food, money, clothing, housework, and a million other things, families help.

We may have one earthy family with the highs and the lows that come with it. We also have a spiritual family. A father who loves you, and siblings, who just like your real family, will have ups and downs.

Let’s pray for more ups than downs. For forgiveness, peace, and love, over jealousy, anger, and rage.

Scripture

• So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. – Ephesians 2:19-22
• If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. – 1 Corinthians 12:26

Reflection

We are one body in Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12). Like one body, sometimes pieces don’t work the way they should. Other pieces needs to pick up the slack. Yet, we are still one. When one suffers, we all suffer.

Imagine if we put this into practice. If you said a painful thing to someone, you felt the same pain. If you hurt someone, you would be equally hurt. Imagine if you loved someone and were equally loved.

In Christ, we have this opportunity. Sure, we will wrong each other. We are far from perfect. But we, through following Christ, have the ability to forgive, even when we were wronged. As we’ve said before, holding a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.

Let’s do onto others as we would have done to us. (Matthew 7:12). Don’t let your anger turn into hate. Don’t let your words tear the family. Use the power of God to come together.

Challenge

Have you wronged someone recently? Either accidentally or purposefully? If so, make amends. Even if you didn’t mean to, the person may feel hurt. Go to them in love and peace. If they don’t return it, still show love.

Prayer

Lord, we are thankful for family. While they are the ones who love us, they are also the ones who get under our skin the most. They can drive us crazy and hurt us. We pray for peace in families during this season. Give us your guidance and wisdom to approach each other with a heart of love vs a heart of anger. When we do wrong each other, give us the strength to ask for and receive forgiveness. In your wonderful name, Amen.