Distance. Resentment. Avoidance. You want to love your family, your neighbors, and your coworkers well. But something goes wrong when you reach out to them, and you find yourself tearing down the relationships you wanted to build. Are you doomed to repeat this cycle forever? For most of us, certain unhealthy reactions feel natural and even inevitable. Unconsciously, we cling to what 1 Peter 1:18 calls the 'empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers.' But you are not doomed to repeat this cycle, according to William P. Smith, since Jesus came to redeem his people from such things. The destructive relationship patterns you learned before you met Christ no longer need to control how you live and interact with others. Instead, you can exchange the empty ways for new ones that promote deep unity and peacefulness - patterns that create satisfying and God-honoring relationships. A rich, practical relationship with Jesus enables you to develop rich, practical relationships with others in spite of your brokenness and theirs. Through Christ, you no longer have to do what you have always done. In short, you can learn to love well.

Smith, William P., 1965-

United States, United States of America

PT, 2012

Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.

xxv, 261 p. ; 23 cm
Includes bibliographical references (p. 253-255) and index
Comforting love: running to those who are suffering -- Sympathetic love: taking on each other's sorrows -- Struggling love: confessing our temptations to each other -- Forgiving love: covering a multitude of sins -- Longsuffering love: patiently bearing with each other -- Love that reaches out to build others up -- Partnering love: working together to care for each other -- Pursuing love: shepherding each other -- Communicating love: talking with each other -- Serving love: helping each other -- Providing love: meeting physical needs -- Love that enjoys heaven on earth -- Welcoming love: greeting each other -- Humble love: submitting to each other -- Celebrating love: rejoicing with each other -- Peaceful love: living harmoniously with each other -- Hospitible love: showing kindness without grumbling

2024-11-05