Relationships: A Mess Worth Making - part 2

Last entry, I shared some of my favorite quotes from this book by Tim Lane and Paul Tripp. I realize that if I write too many down at one time, that none of us, myself included, are going to spend the time to read them and think about their implications. So, last week, I shared from the first 5 chapters. These are my favorite quotes from chapters 6-10:

• struggle in relationships is everyone's story


• When I live out of a biblical sense of who I am (identity) and rest in who God is (worship), I will be able to build a healthy relationship with you.


• No human being was ever meant to be the source of personal joy and contentment for someone else. Is there evidence that you are looking to your relationships to give you things you have already been given in Christ?


• Your words are always in pursuit of some kind of kingdom. You are either speaking as a mini-king, seeking to establish your will in your relationships and circumstances; or you are speaking as an ambassador, seeking to be part of what the King is doing.


• If I am not affirming the glory of God in the way he made you (including the ways you are different from me), I will be frustrated with who you are and tempted to remake you in some way.


• Conflict with others is one of God's mysterious, counterintuitive ways of rescuing us from ourselves


• Own whatever personal sin you have brought to the situation. Only do this if you have sin to own; Name the problem; Explore possible solutions; Implement the agreed-upon solution; Evaluate your implementation; If you get stuck and things don't improve, be willing to get outside help.


• When we reject the opportunity to forgive or ask for forgiveness, the relationship suffers. When we choose to practice true forgiveness, the relationship is not just brought back to where it was before the offense; it actually moves further down the road to maturity.


• Practicing forgiveness is something we must do daily in the same way we ask for the daily provision of food.


• Our relationships don't work according to our plan because they are part of his plan. We are discouraged because we don't see Christ