Spending Time Loving Family

Examining God’s Word

“To every thing there is a season,
and a time to every purpose
under the heaven…

A time to love…
Ecclesiastes 3:1&8a

Evaluating Our Garden

Spending quality time with family can be loving, special, and memorable. But, on the days it isn’t, it can be a downright drudgery. Let’s face it, loving family isn’t always something we want to spend time on when they’re not who we want to spend time with.

Sadly, not all families have close-knit relationships with unconditional love flowing from their veins. Some of us have family members who:

• Take us for granted
• Don’t listen to a word we say
• Ignore, abuse, or neglect us
• Don’t show care or compassion
• Don’t enjoy being around us
• Don’t give us respect
• Irritate the fire out of us

We may be one of those family members—either the one being mistreated or the one mistreating. And, that makes loving our loved ones a little harder.

Sure we can do things for them and buy them gifts, but that isn’t the same thing as sharing our hearts with them and understanding theirs. Sadly, too many people are in family relationships that leave them suffering in loneliness in crowded rooms and their own homes. But, Jesus said,

“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples,
if ye have love one to another.”
John 13:35

God wants us to live in loving families and homes. His Word is full of verses that talk about how we are to love Him and them.

Experiencing Seasons

Some days I just want to take a break, lie down and quit loving. Somedays I don’t want to forgive and forget, overlook mistakes, consider the source, or be the responsible person extending the olive branch. Some days, I don’t even want to love myself.

To be honest, after some tough years, I’ve gotten pretty protective of my space and solace in the quest for relational peace and have realized that my desire to protect my heart from hurt has closed me off from those I truly love. Thankfully, I’m learning to love again.

Embracing Solace

There is a sense of solace in knowing our families love us and have our backs. It also brings them comfort to get the same from us. Sincere caring and compassion shows love.

Enjoying Simplicity

Sure, love isn’t simple. In fact, our environments, experiences, and up-bringing, can make it complicated. If we experience neglect, abuse, abandonment, or constant fighting, loving our families can seem almost impossible.

Employing Solutions

It’s hard to spend time and get close to someone who doesn’t seem to want you around. Unfortunately, there’s always someone that makes it hard to connect or find common ground with.  

The good news is, we don’t have to like our families. We don’t have to put up with bad attitudes and behaviors or allow abuse. We don’t have to pretend that things are good when they’re not. We just have to love them like God loves us—with grace.

We also have to keep our love in the right order of priority with God being first. Then love our family as follows:

• Husband/Wife
• Children
• Parents
• Siblings
• Extended Relatives

It may seem easier to love the pleasant ones, but, God wants us to love them all. And, maybe, if we spent more quality time getting to know one another and shared true love with each other, it might get easier.

Bring It Home

What are some ways you love your family?

Praying for you as we grow together,
Smiles, BRC