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    Resource Details

    Relating to Destructive Humans

    Andy Wood | November 13, 2022

    Have you ever been in a relationship that feels stuck? You’ve done everything you can, but nothing is changing — you’re continuously getting hurt. When this happens, what’s the best path to take for our health and safety? How do we heal the relationship? This week, Pastor Andy Wood shares four different ways we can respond to destructive people in our lives.

    Message Action Plan

    Talk It Over

    Diving Deeper

    Message Action Plan

    How do I handle a relationship with a destructive person?

    Transformed people transform their relationships.

    Two Big Questions to Ask:

    1. What's the best path for my safety and health?
    1. What's the best path for healing in the relationship?

    Four Different Responses:

    1. Remove or limit access.
    1. Rebuild trust.
    1. Reconcile connection.

    Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.Romans 12:18 (NLT)

    1. Release forgiveness.

    Matthew 18:21-35 (NLT)

    ACTION PLAN: If there is someone in your life that has hurt you and you have not been able to forgive, spend time processing that hurt through journaling and prayer. Invite God to reveal to you why it hurt you and affected you the way it did, and give God your honest emotions and hurt over the situation.

    Forgiveness is not . . .

    • Trusting again
    • Reconciling connection
    • Excusing the hurt

    Forgiveness is…

    • Based on God's measure of forgiveness to me.
    • An event and a process.
    • The quickest way out of bitterness and into healing.
    • Only possible with God's help and his mercy.

    ACTION PLAN: We are given opportunities to practice forgiveness all throughout our week. As you go about your day, whenever you find yourself frustrated with or wronged by another person, take a minute to pray a prayer of gratitude for them. As you pray, remind yourself that they are a beloved son or daughter whom Jesus died for and thank God for one attribute of that person. Then see what happens in your heart.

    Unforgiveness is . . .

    • A refusal to release a person
    • A prison that punishes your soul
    • A poison that destroys your relationships
    • A personal affront to the mercy of god

    Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.
    Hebrews 12:14-15 (NLT)

    ACTION PLAN: If you have been holding on to unforgiveness toward someone specific, spend time each day praying for God to give you the strength to forgive them. Pray that God would reveal to you His grace toward that person, and pray earnestly for God's best in their life. When you are ready, and if it is safe, reach out and begin the conversation of reconciliation with that person, not just for the sake of restoring the relationship, but for the sake of your inner healing.

    More from this series

    Talk It Over

    Discussion Guide

    Additional Resources

    How to Navigate Trust

    Dive Deeper by listening to this Doable Discipleship podcast episode on How to Navigate Trust

    Download
    Download

    More from this series

    Relating to Humans
    October 30 - November 20, 2022
    • Relating to Different People
      November 20, 2022
    • Relating to Destructive Humans
      November 13, 2022
    • Relating to Difficult People
      November 6, 2022
    • A Better Way of Relating
      October 30, 2022
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