In my last post, I wrote about being alone in the midst of this season and something God showed me through His Word. It wasn't where I was planning to go, but it was a good starting place. This post is a little bit more practical in how to navigate this season.
I'm going to start with what is arguably the most difficult part of navigating this, but I would say also the most important. It has nothing to do with the actions of others. It's all about our heart and how we choose to respond.
My first practical suggestion on how to navigate this season: assume the best of others and don't take offense. This isn't easy and it's not usually our first reaction. But it's vital.
When you don't get the invite or you get a generic invite for you and your partner, it's easy to start thinking about how insensitive people are or to assume they did it intentionally. But, that just puts us in a prison of our own making.
Start by talking to God about it when this happens. As Him to help you not be offended, to not hold onto hurt or offense.
That leads to my second suggestion: if the person is a trusted friend, take the courageous step of talking to them about it. Don't go into the conversation blaming them for it. But, be brave enough to tell them that you struggled and were by being the only one excluded. Don't tell them what they were thinking or did; tell them what your experience of it was. This can be a great opportunity for you both to understand each other better.
In the midst of it all, remember where your identity is found. It's not found in your relationship status or the number of invites you get to holiday parties. It comes from being a child of God and He loves you exactly as you are.
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