God In Difficult Family Relationships

 By: Paula Short

"What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?" — Romans 8:30 NLT 

Do you have a difficult family relationship? Do you know someone who does? Sometimes it may feel like you're all alone; you may even grit your teeth, thinking, I just can't deal with [Insert relative]. 

We can turn to Scripture and Jesus and see what he says about dealing with difficult family members, and there is an example. His own.

The Bible is filled with narratives of families who didn't get along. Cain killed his brother Abel in a gush of envy. Joseph's older brothers disposed of him and sold him into slavery. Sarah and Hagar had a scathing contention that continued for years.

It can be easy to let the chaos and pain from your family define you. Maybe your siblings rejected and bullied you, or you had an argument or fell out with an aunt, cousin, parent, or child.

When Satan comes between family, whatever the disturbance he causes, he clouds our vision; okay, sometimes he puts big black storm clouds in front of us.

We must seek God and rely on him to bring us back to the here and now and remember how far he's brought today's person. Remember, friend, when you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, the old you is gone, and the new you is here. That's today's you. 

It's hard at times to make amends, let go of family feuds and miscommunications, or just accept that family member that gets under your skin. When we remember that God has the power to create, his provision to sustain, and his presence to help. We can see that he cares for each of us personally. This includes both our family members and us. 

Regardless of your family relationships, nothing can separate us from God's love. He is for you! He loves you and your family members passionately, and all of you are precious to Him. 

Friend, from time to time, families can be messy and complicated. Mine is no exception. Sometimes, families don't give you the love you long for but remember God is continually pouring out His love on you. 

Prayer

Dear Abba, Help me rejoice in your love, embrace it, and let it fill my soul. Show me and teach me how to love my family and open the doors to healing my relationships. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Photo by Lopez Robin on Unsplash