3 Practical Tips to Overcome a Relational Hurt
I think it’s safe to say that we’ve all experienced hurt in our relationships.
On any given day I’m given numerous opportunities to be offended by someone close to me.
An unanswered call. A sharp comment.
Countless times I’ve conjured up stories in my mind of why they’re treating me unfairly….even when I don’t know if they are.
Overcome in Relationships
On the other hand, there are times when there is a legitimate offense.
Unintentional or not, I’ve experienced hurts from those close to me and I’ve felt at a loss for how to handle it.
We all have our “fleshly” responses: the ones that “feel good” to us at the moment.
Mine is to disengage.
I withdraw from the person and ignore them.
When I feel wounded, I tend to want to withhold love and attention.
Yet disengagement only causes me to feel lonely and frustrated, and it doesn’t get to the heart of the matter.
It only temporarily satisfies my flesh.
What’s your natural response to hurts?
The good news is, we don’t have to obey our feelings. We can choose to obey God’s Word and respond like Christ.
What does that look like?
This week I read Misty’s post 3 Things to do When We are Deeply Wounded by Others.
When answering the above question, she points straight to scripture and follows up with 3 practical points to help us respond in a godly manner.
I love how she first identifies with our tendencies and then offers helpful advice. She says,
When we are hurt by others our flesh wants to lash out in some visceral way. We want to share our hurts with others in hopes that we will find answers to our pain. If we receive wise counsel it can help us to process our feelings and emotions, and point us to Jesus. Faithful friends will be sure to pray with us and for us.