Suffering Is Part Of Relationships; Are You Willing To Endure The Suffering?

Ephesians 4:2,3

Maintaining healthy relationships sometimes requires long-suffering

Soul Food

Ephesians 4:2,3

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

Soul Search

• Can you recall times in your life when you had to make some difficult choices that would cost you something in order to maintain a relationship?
  What were one or two of those choices/decisions?

• We all like to avoid suffering whenever we can.
  Can you recall a time or season in your life when you chose the way of suffering because you decided to push your own needs/desires down in order to put someone else’s needs/desires first?

• Some people are definitely better than others at putting other people first.
  Some people routinely place themselves last and suffer silently while their own needs are not being met.
  Are you one of those who put yourself and your own needs last?
  Are you comfortable sharing your own journey of suffering by not speaking up to have your own needs met?

• There is definitely a time to speak up if you’re going to suffer needlessly in a relationship but there is also a time not to speak up and thus effectively suffer silently for the sake of a relationship.
  Do you know when to speak up and when to remain silent?
  How do you make that decision?

Soul Moves

• God has called His children to be servants and not doormats.
  Sometimes, though, we are left feeling like doormats.
  Ask God to soothe you and minister healing to you when you feel like you’ve been treated like a doormat.
  There is healing for you after the muddy boots have been wiped on you.

• If you feel that you are somewhat routinely used by people in unhealthy ways, ask God to begin sensitizing you so that you know when lines are being crossed to unhealthy places.
  Ask God to give you the courage to speak up and say “No” when you need to.

• If you’re a person who doesn’t routinely put others first, you might be someone who (even without realizing it) takes advantage of others.
  Ask God to quicken your spirit to die to your desires and to put others and their desires first.
  Ask God to help you “suffer” the death of your own self-will and self-determination so that those around you can be blessed.

• Don’t be afraid of the bed of suffering when it means dying to yourself.
  This life is only for a few, short hours in the scheme of all of eternity.
  Ask God to help you sacrifice here and now so that you can gain your heavenly rewards when eternity dawns.