Healing Family Relationships Through PatienceSample

When we are experiencing conflict with a family member, we are in the middle of the story. We don't know what God will do tomorrow as we pray for and seek healing with our families. We can be tempted to judge God based on the middle of the story and focus only on our current painful circumstance.

There was a time in Moses's life when God told him to put his hand into his cloak. Moses did it, and when he took his hand out, it was covered in leprosy. Isn't that terrible? He did what God told him to do, and he got leprosy. What kind of a God would do that? If you know the history from Exodus 3, you know that is not the end of the story. God tells Moses to put his hand back into his cloak, and when he removes it, the leprosy is gone.

Joseph had ten older brothers. They were so jealous of him that they sold him into slavery and told Joseph's father that he had been eaten by wild animals. Joseph was in prison in Egypt for years. What kind of God would allow that to happen? God obviously did not love or care for Joseph. You are probably saying, "That is not the end of the story!" You would be right. God elevates Joseph to second-in-command in Egypt and uses him to save millions, including his own family from the famine. He reconciles with his brothers and is reunited with his father. It's awesome, it's amazing. You can't stop the story when Joseph is in jail!

One more example. God sends His own Son, Jesus, into the world. He never does anything wrong. Yet He is betrayed, arrested, tortured, and hung on a cross for six hours before He dies. What kind of God would let this happen to His Son? Why didn't He stop it? Hopefully, you see the pattern here. When you tell the history of Jesus, you don't end on Friday. You must get to Sunday morning! Jesus busts out of the grave and is alive today. We even call it Good Friday, in light of Sunday's resurrection.

This principle applies as we face our family struggles. In this moment we are suffering, feeling lonely, rejected, and hopeless. But this is just the middle of the story.

Reflection Question: What current family pain feels like "the middle of the story" to you? Pray for the Lord to give you fresh faith and endurance today.

Healing Family Relationships

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