[PD Devotional] 7. Restoring Relationships: Talk to God
007. Restoring Relationships: Talk to God
The first biblical step toward restoring a relationship is to talk to God before talking to the person.
Discuss the problem with God. If you pray about the conflict first instead of gossiping to a friend, you’ll often discover that God either changes your heart or he changes the other person without your help.
All your relationships would go smoother if you would just pray more about them. As David did with his Psalms, use prayer to ventilate vertically. Tell God your frustrations. Cry out to him. He’s never surprised or upset by your anger, hurt, insecurity, or any other emotions. So tell him exactly how you feel.
Most conflict is rooted in unmet needs. Some of these needs can only be met by God. When you expect anyone - a friend, spouse, another pastor, or family member - to meet a need that only God can fulfill, you are setting yourself up for disappointment and bitterness. No one can meet all of your needs except God.
The apostle James noted that many of our conflicts are caused by prayerlessness (James 4:1-2 NIV).
Instead of looking to God, we look to others to make us happy and then get angry when they fail us. God says, "Why don't you come to me first?"
============================= key expressions ==================================
ventilate: 환기시키다, 문제를 드러내다, 속내를 터놓다
ventilation: 환기, 통풍, 자유토론, 여론에 묻기, 감정의 표출
frustration: 좌절, 욕구불만
insecurity: 불안, 근심, 위험성
conflict: 충돌, 갈등
unmet ( meet) : (요구, 목표) 채워지지 않은
set oneself up for (as) : ~을 자처하다
============================= today’s expressions ===============================
좀 길지만, 이런 표현을 감각적으로 이해하고 또 표현하기 위해, 익혀둡시다.
“오직 하나님만 채워주실 수 있는 필요를 (다른) 사람에게 기대할 때, 당신은 실망과 괴로움을 자처하고 있는 것이다”
When you expect anyone … to meet a need that only God can fulfill, you are setting yourself up for disappointment and bitterness.
007._Restoring_Relationship_-_Talk_to_God.docx
[PD Devotional] 7. Restoring Relationships: Talk to God
