Look Like Good News – Colossians 3:11-17
Reflection Questions
This week we looked at how to be good news in our relationships. Below are several practical steps you can use to help you stay healthy in the way you relate with family (or friends) this Christmas:
Be aware of the role you play in your family. Our family role is the behavior(s) we often acted out during our upbringing which can appear again when back with family. What role are you tempted to play when around your family? (eg. rescuer, enabler etc.)
Be aware of which people or situations test you the most. What people or situations come to mind?
Decide what healthy (and unhealthy) boundaries look like. Are there any boundaries you need to tighten to have healthier interactions with friends or family? Are there any boundaries you need to loosen?
Remember we cannot change others, we can only change ourselves. What can you change in how you approach or respond to challenging, toxic or negative interactions with friends and family? Are there any actions or attitudes you want to start practicing now?
Don’t ride the emotional roller coaster. When someone close to us has mood swings or gets angry, we get to choose whether we get tossed around by their roller coaster of emotion or not. How often do you get pulled into someone else’s emotion? How might you best model a calm demeanor to an overly emotional person?
Self-Reflection
Read Galatians 5:22-23. As you go through these verses, how might each of the fruits of the spirit look in you as you put on the “new me” vs. the “old me”?
What advice does Romans 12:19-21 give you for how we can respond to challenging people and situations in a loving way?
Are you ready to pray “Lord, treat me the way I treat others” now that you have looked at these passages?
