Healing Family Relationships Through CompassionSample

We not only need Christ's compassion for our family members in situations of major conflict, but we also need His compassion in our day-to-day life. Do you ever have a bad day? Maybe you woke up "on the wrong side of the bed," or you feel a little under the weather. When you are having "one of those days, what are you looking for from your family? Compassion! We want people to show us a little bit of understanding. "I know I'm stressed out today, please don't freak out, cut me some slack."

I struggle with putting this into practice with my children. When I'm having a bad day, I expect everyone to understand and give me extra grace. The reality is that everyone has bad days. But do I ever allow my children to have them? Do I give them the same respect and understanding that I expect others to give me when I am stressed, overwhelmed, or just "a little off"? I am in for a very frustrating life if I become annoyed and angry whenever one of my children or family members does something wrong. We need to ask God to give us His heart of compassion for our family members so that we are not crushed by a spirit of anger, and we can seek peace in response to conflict.

In day-to-day life, compassion looks like giving each other room to be human. It's recognizing that your spouse might be unusually quiet because they're processing a difficult work situation, not because they're angry with you. It's understanding that your teenager's emotional outburst might be connected to friendship troubles, not disrespect. It's giving your aging parent grace when they repeat the same story for the third time, recognizing their loneliness or memory challenges.

These small moments of compassion create an atmosphere where healing can take place.

Reflection Question: What small act of compassion could you extend to a family member today, especially one you're finding difficult to love?