How Good Are You at Being Dependent?

The word co-dependency became popular in the 1980’s and is indicative of someone whose harmful patterns of behavior negatively impact another person. These people may realize how someone causes pain and suffering but fail to identify their own complicity in the conflict.

Dependency, however, plays a vital role for every relationship. It’s indicative of relying on someone to meet specific needs that they alone can meet. This is seen in healthy marital relationships and parent-child relationships. Every friendship will have varying degrees of dependency.

Think of dependency as providing safety and security for family members and also includes trusted friendships. Your supreme dependency should be with the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Listen to Psalm 32:7: “You are my hiding place from every storm of life. You protect me and surround me with deliverance.” This can be your security and confidence as you go forward. 

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If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

~2 Chronicles 7:14 New International Version

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Humility: A Bridge to Making Amends

Communication is key to conflict resolution. How communication takes place determines if an offender’s intentions can be trusted. It’s the responsibility of the offender to take the initiative to make amends with an attitude of humility. Humility empowers this initiative to make amends to be positively perceived.   

          Humility is similar in meaning to the word meek used by Jesus in Matthew 5:5. "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth." Here meekness refers to strength of character under control and power but absent of harshness. Unfortunately, meek in today’s vernacular conveys an unhealthy submissiveness, a lack of character strength and putting oneself in a position of being controlled in a negative way. 

          Yet humility in Scripture is a prerequisite for being blessed by God. "If my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray" becomes an invitation to God's presence and power. Humility builds a bridge to a healthy and godly attitude for making amends. Pray for the courage and the will to be humble. God will bless you.  

Escaping the Negatives - Part 3

Our American economy depends on people choosing to buy new cars, houses and whatever you can imagine. Decisions to change jobs and move the family are part of the upward mobility movement our society provides, including the pursuit of happiness. Yet change can be scary and emotionally taxing.

God was not content to leave the people of Israel indefinitely in Egypt. In order for them to become the nation he envisioned, they had to be uprooted from their adopted culture. Although change would not come without some hardships, God promised to be available to ensure success for the changes he asked them to make.

Becoming complacent with a lifestyle of bondage or sin was out of compliance with what God had in mind for Israel and is for us today with our contemporary lifestyles. Listen to God's promise: "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land." Would you accept that challenge?