The question isn’t, “Are obstacles going to come up in your relationships?” The question is, “What are you going to do with them when they do?”
There are a lot of people who are struggling to make their relationships work. They are not aware that problems and obstacles are always present in every relationship, may it be a romantic one or not. One of the most common problems we encounter is that we tend to misinterpret the people around us. There are always offenses and misunderstandings in every relationship. And what are we going to do about them? How can we overcome these things?
The breeding ground of offense is unmet expectation. There are a lot of instances when a person would set an expectation from the people they love without them knowing it. And if that expectation is not be fulfilled, there are misunderstandings that grow bigger and bigger.
Because of this, there is a great need for us to learn to talk to people. Express to them the things that offend you and learn to settle even the smallest offense or misunderstanding. If you don’t settle the little offenses, they build up as an invisible wall in your relationships. When you keep on hiding them, you will notice that you actually start growing apart from the people you love.
Offense by offense, if you don’t know what to do about these things, the enemy will use them to break up your relationships. You have to take a step and be the one who will initiate the reconciliation process, be the first one to apologize and talk to the person you have misunderstood.
Follow what Jesus did to those who hurt Him. He taught us how to drop every offense that our brothers and sisters cause us just like He did on the Cross. We have to learn how to forgive and understand the people around us.
The next time you are offended, even if it’s just a minor thing, drop it and surrender it into the arms of God.
“Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23-24)
Choose to reconcile and drop everything that will hinder you from connecting with your brothers and sisters.
Watch this video from Pastor Steven Furtick from Elevation Church and learn about the things that hurt your relationships:
Credits: Steven Furtick, Elevation Church
