In order to bless all the families of the earth, Abraham had to start with his own family.
Before a man could qualify for leadership in the New Testament church, they examined his home life (1 Timothy 3:5). Their thinking was, ‘If he doesn’t succeed there, don’t enlarge his territory.’ But if you are going to enjoy God’s blessing as a family you must learn to cope with difficulties. So:
(1) Try to remember that you are all on the same team. Don’t take your frustrations out on your loved ones. Too often, home is where we go when we are tired of being ‘nice.’
(2) Before you speak, get the facts. Nothing is more damaging than jumping to conclusions. ‘Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything’ (Proverbs 13:3 NLT).
(3) Handle it with wisdom. List all your options and you will be more objective. That’s how you would handle a problem at work; why not do the same with your family?
(4) Find something good in the situation. It’s only because of problems that we grow mentally and spiritually. It’s through the pain of confronting them that we learn. No matter how bad things seem, every situation holds something positive, look for it.
(5) Make sure they know you love them. It’s okay to express how you feel so long as you do it graciously. But make sure your family knows you love them. When people feel loved they can weather almost any crisis.
Think: when do you need God’s love most? When you deserve it least! Try to follow suit.
