This is the greatest prescription for a wounded relationship
When we go to the doctor, we usually don’t feel we’ve been helped until they write a prescription.
Let me be a “relationship doctor” for you. I am going to use eight words to prescribe for you “how to heal a wounded relationship.”
If you have a relationship fracture, at least one of these areas need healing:
Honor
“Honor” means to stop looking at the person and look at their position. In relationships, we do that by recognizing that every person is in the image of Almighty God.
Every person (your spouse, your neighbor, a homeless person) has immense value because of God’s image they bear.
Talk to them and treat them with the respect and value they deserve.
2. Fervency
Relationships cannot be passive. We gradually stop noticing each other like a picture on the wall
Marriages need to be “fervent,” white-hot with passion. Taking relationships for granted leads to disaster.
Pursue a relationship with your family, especially. Don’t just pass them by like ships in the harbor. Live intentionally in the relationship.
3. Patience
Control your words and emotions around your relationships. How would you like to live with you?
Cool down, keep relationships fun, and keep your cool even if you run out of money. Even-tempered people can find something joyful and settling about any difficult situation.
Calm down.
4. Prayer
Cover your relationships in prayer. If a loved one is going through a storm, pray for them and offer to pray with them.
Pray together at meals and bless the food. Satan hates relationships, and the “family that prays together stays together.” That’s not in the Bible, but it ought to be!
5. Generosity
Give to those you are in a relationship with. Include them in meals or holidays. Invite them over to hang out.
Mow their grass when they are on vacation. Surprise them with a gift card to a coffee shop.
Generosity and hospitality make relationships work.
6. Empathy
Empathy is entering into another person’s FEELINGS. It’s easy just not to care. We tell them to “just get over it.”
LISTEN to their hurts and challenges. Try to feel and identify with what they are facing. Be quiet for a minute and let them express their joys or sorrows.
It’s a choice to care about feelings.
7. Humility
Everyone argues and disagrees with each other. No one can stand being around someone who is proud and never wrong.
Be humble. You might be wrong. They might be right! Be transparent about your limitations. You don’t know it all.
Proud people stay offended in relationships. Be touchable, approachable, and relatable.
8. Unity
Someone asked Ruth Graham (Billy Graham’s wife) if she ever thought about divorcing Billy. She replied, “Divorce, never! Murder, yes…” She added, “A happy marriage is the union of two forgivers.”
People are imperfect.
Paul said, “Do not be overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Be “quick to forgive, quick to repent, quick to learn.”
That’s my prescription.
Take as needed.