Resources to Strengthen Your Relationships

Every month we give free resources that are only available to our newsletter subscribers.

Last month we gave a free eBook, Prevent Burnout. In April, we are giving two proven self-assessments:

• One will help you determine how you might be harming your relationships.
• The other helps you evaluate how you doing are at building your relationships.

Both will help you deepen your relationships with people in your life. To get these along with other free resources, sign up for Relationship Resources’ newsletter.

This blog is excerpted from Tribes: God’s Design for Communities, a soon to be online course and book with proven, biblical interpersonal skills. 

Jesus said, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment.

And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 22:37–40 NKJV

People do and say things that damage relationships in their communities—with spouses, family members, friends and colleagues. Often they don’t even realize what they are doing. You may be thinking, “Me? Sabotage my relationships? No way!” Or perhaps you are thinking, “I don’t need training on relationship saboteurs. I already know how to destroy my associations.” This key will help you recognize some of the saboteurs you might be using knowingly or unknowingly.

Reflect

1. Recall a time when you were hurting and needed someone to understand your situation. You tried to talk with a friend or family member and realized he was not listening.
2. How did his failure to listen and understand what you said make you feel at that time?
3. Did you ever go back to share with that person?
4. Think about a time someone did or said something thoughtlessly or out of hostility.
5. How did it make you feel?
6. How did it affect your relationship?
7. Have you ever failed to give your attention to someone who needed you to understand? If so, how did it affect your relationship with that person?

Relationships can be damaged by what people say and do, as well as by what they don’t say or do. What are you doing to sabotage your relationships? Are you ready to embrace healthier connections with the people in your life? Then, in the name of love, stop sabotaging your relationships.

Pastor Tim Westcott, Senior pastor of Idyllwild Bible Church in Idyllwild, CA said about this book:

“Life in Christ’s church is life lived in relationships with other people. All require an amazing assortment of skills if those relationships are to be a vital and positive reflection of Jesus Christ. There is no church, no pastor, no elder board, no ministry team and no Bible study group that would not profit immensely from this book.”

Remember to get the free self-assessments (see above), along with other free resources each month, by signing up for Relationship Resources’ newsletter.

© 2015 Relationship Resources, Inc.