Is there a foolproof recipe I can apply to any relationship I develop in my life?
I’m sure you’ve experienced relationship conflicts before. I also know that you managed to resolve some more easily than others. Deep down, we harbor a secret desire to have a recipe that makes things easier for us. Unfortunately, there isn’t a recipe that works for every situation, but there are some ingredients you can always keep on hand to resolve conflicts.
Ingredient 1 — Peace
The Bible always exhorts us to walk in peace. Jesus said that peacemakers are very adventurous (Matthew 5:9). Let us not walk with Christ; the peace that reigns in our hearts should overflow into our relationships. Paul affirmed that the peace of Christ should be the arbiter of our interpersonal relationships (Colossians 3:15). Does peace reign within you? Are you able to radiate that peace into your relationships?
Does peace reign within you? Are you able to radiate that peace into your relationships?
Ingredient 3 — The Ear
In Galatians 6:3, Paul exhorts us to bear one another’s burdens. One aspect of bearing a burden is listening to another’s cry for help, their pain, the weight that a brother cannot bear alone. Your brother’s heavy burden may be light for you, but that doesn’t change the fact that he cannot carry it alone and that it is your duty to help him.
Ingrediente 4 — O perdão
Talvez este seja o tema mais difícil neste assunto. Na oração mais declamada do mundo, o Pai Nosso, Jesus nos ensina a pedir ao Pai que nos perdoe da mesma maneira que nós perdoamos. Pense bem: você pode mesmo ouvir assim? É um grande desafio, mas é a ordem de Cristo, manter o coração livre de amarras e inundado de perdão. Há alguém que você deveria perdoar?
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Maintaining relationships in daily life is not an option, it’s imperative. To achieve this, among many key ingredients, four stand out: peace, self-governance, listening, and forgiveness.
When reading about this, resist the urge to think about the other person and think about yourself. Are your relationships in good shape?
Do you promote the peace of Christ?
Is there someone you haven’t forgiven yet, or someone who hasn’t forgiven you yet?
Reflect, pray, and don’t waste time. Fix your relationships.
Magazine: One Another, Biblical Foundations of the Family
By André Lima — Editor-in-Chief
