In a perfect world, all of our relationships would be good, building us up instead of dragging us down. But we live in a sinful world, and sometimes we are involved with people who aren’t walking with God. They can drag us down to their level if we aren’t careful. God wants us to have a positive influence on the people in our lives. He wants us to seek His help in turning relationships that drag us down into ones that glorify Him. This post by Dr. Charles Stanley will help you learn how to deal with negative relationships in a godly way.
"The Way to Handle Negative Relationships" by Dr. Charles Stanley
1 Corinthians 15:33-34
In an ideal environment, all our relationships would draw us closer to the Lord. However, we live in a fallen world with sinful people, so that is not our reality. God wants us to influence those who aren’t walking obediently with Him, but unless we’re careful, we could easily end up following them. How are we to deal with relationships that drag us down instead of building us up?
- Prayer. Your first step is to pray for the people who tend to pull you away from God. It’s not your job to change them, but you can ask the Lord to work in their lives. And don’t forget to ask Him to give you the wisdom and patience you need in your interactions with them.
- Separation. You may have to break off a relationship if it’s hindering your Christian walk. However, this should be done only after much prayer and wise counsel. Remember, some relationships are meant to be permanent, so listen carefully to what God is telling you.
- Perseverance. If the negative relationship never changes and the Lord is not calling you to break off association with that person, then He wants you to persevere in the situation. In that case, your goal is to walk faithfully with your heavenly Father despite any hindrances or opposition.
If you deal with negative relationships, cultivate friendships with godly people who can help you grow in your faith. Spend time in God’s Word, filling your mind with truths that anchor your soul in stormy situations. Persevere in walking faithfully with Christ—you may even influence the other person.
Psalm 25:4-5
Jesus, this negative relationship is just too hard for me to handle alone. I ask You to put some people in my life to whom I can go for wise counsel on how to heal this conflict.
Am I trying to handle my difficult relationship by myself, or am I seeking godly wisdom?
If you have negative relationships in your life, then talk about it with another Christian who can give you godly wisdom and advice.
Through prayer and perseverance, and sometimes by separating yourself from a difficult person, you can repair your relationship and allow God to guide and direct your interactions. Be sure to stay connected to the Word, and follow the advice of godly wisdom from Christian friends. You may find that you can eventually resolve your differences and give this person a second chance. Find out why second chances are so important in the following post.
