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By Gail Rodgers
The relationships that mean the most to us are often the ones we are hardest on.While we maintain a polite and pleasant demeanor away from home, the frustrations often come out at home where we feel safe to let off the day’s steam.
Life’s pressures can drive a wedge into the relationships we treasure most. It’s important to be intentional about building into the people we love and care about. In order to keep the relationships you treasure at their BEST, remember these four steps.
Bless those you care about by speaking life words into their character. Pay attention and point out the character qualities that bless others. Use them to speak back blessing. By focusing on building words you will find the “warmth” factor in your relationship will grow as well. When there are things that need addressing, ask God to guide you in speaking words that will not destroy.
Encourage those you care about in their daily circumstances. Listen well to the things they have to say. Communication dries up when we don’t really pay attention to what the other person is saying. We each get lost in our own cares. Listen for the feelings behind the words and seek to bring hope. Let your support be known even when the solutions are not.
Share thoughts, ideas, time and experiences. When we become too busy to share ourselves with those we love, erosion and indifference can slip in. Be intentional about sharing life together. Take time to talk and share ideas or concerns. Time to pray together and dream together won’t be there unless you make it. Let those you care about know this is important to you and prioritize it.
Touch those you love in appropriate and loving ways. Touch is one of our most basic needs. Taking a hand, giving a hug, putting your hand on the arm or back can do much to convey care and warmth. In a marriage include lots of non-sexual touching as well. Often a simple touch can melt away a barrier and re-connect two people.
Strong relationships don’t just happen…they are intentionally built into.
“Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4).
~ Father God,
Open my eyes today to see ways I can build into my relationships with those who are dear to me. In Jesus name, amen.
Questions to Ponder and Discuss: Which of these four steps can I take today in a relationship? Let’s pray for one another, that we will be intentional about building into the people we care about.
Today’s Chat: Join us for a 15-minute chat about this devotional at 10:30 am Eastern, 7:30 am Pacific: http://www.christianwomentoday.com/chat/
Related Video Clip: “Too Independent?” http://lovebusters.tv/love_busters/independence/
About the Author: http://talk.thelife.com/authors/gail-rodgers/
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Good morning. This devotional was very inspiring to me, because I am sometimes so overwhelmed by work and by daily things that I’m too depressed and drained to even relate to my husband. I will pray and work on not shutting down.
This devotional is really saying something to me today. In July, I will be getting together with my family for the first family reunion in 9 years. Already things are happening that I am having problems with. Because of the airfare that has been booked I will be getting home(from Detroit Michigan to London Ontario) at 3am. I will be trevaling in the middle of the night to get to the airport for a 7am flight as well. Now I find out that a photo will be taken of all 6 of us kids and we HAVE to be in jeans(which i do like wearing nor own a pair). So my sister who is 150lbs bigger and 5 inchs taller then I am will let me wear a pair of hers. I am letting them find out when I put these jeans on just how bad it looks.
There is a whole lot more that everyone else expects that I am physically not able to do but they will not listen to what I am trying to tell them. I can just pray to GOD that everyone and everything comes together and we don’t spoil this for my DAD whos 75 Birthday will be celebrated while we are there.
I love my family and am usually telling everyone how great they all are. Which they are and I love them all very much.
A great devotion! Thanks Gail. I do pretty well with my son and daughter-in-law…but need to work on my husband.
Father God, give me wisdom and guide me as I work toward a better relationship with my husband. Help me not to take him for granted. Only with your help, can I do this. I claim from your word: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God,that giveth to all men liberally…” James 1:5
Blessings to all!
This was exactly what I needed to hear! I am a wife, a graduate student, and a high school teacher. I can get so caught up in my busy life that I do not take the time to value the relationships that I have in my life. I especially enjoyed the part that said we can get caught up with our own concerns without really listening to a friend. I want to truly be there for my husband, my friends, and my students.