Immanuel in our relating. God is with us in our relationships.
God is with you in your strained relationship with your step-mom who never wanted to be a
mom in the first place. He is with you as you mother without a maternal example to follow.
God is with you in your relationship with your brother who has chosen to reject God’s leading in
His life and keeps his family from attending church. He is with your nieces and nephews who
are confused about God’s love because of your brother’s choices.
God is with you in your relationship with your boss who continues to give you complicated
problems to solve and never rewards you for your solutions.
God is with you in your relationship with your teen who is doing everything he can to make his
“own way” apart from the way you trained him. God is with your teen and He is with you.
You are not alone in any challenging relationship you are in.
God is with your child in her relationship with her teacher, her classmates, her neighbor friends,
and the kids on her volleyball team.
How do you show her that He is with her in those relationships? You take time to share with
her how He is present in your relationship with others. Tell her about how He has answered
prayers, brought solutions you didn’t even pray for, and how He has changed your heart toward
others or their hearts toward you.
There is always hope in your relationships because your God is a God of redemption, salvation,
and grace. He asks you to love Him with all your heart because He loves you with all of His. This
is evidenced in the manger you see in decorations everywhere this season.
Don’t lose hope in relationships with those you love and intentionally be the example of
forgiveness, grace, and love for your children that God has been for you.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His One and Only Son that whoever believes in Him
should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
Pray for God to give you opportunities to show you His work in your relationships and in your children’s relationships.