Let’s begin with a case study. Todd, a middle-aged divorced man, says he is angry with God because, essentially, his life is falling apart. His wife left him for another man; his only child—a twenty-five-year-old son—is not very responsive to him anymore, and a stray dog recently killed his cat, which he thought was the only creature that seemed to love him. His life has not … [Read more...]
4 ways to prevent hurting people from giving up on God
God is like an elevator; He lets people down—at least that’s what many people I’ve met would say. In my work for Church Initiative, building curricula to help suffering people, I’ve interviewed a number of people who’ve lost loved ones, have been betrayed by lovers, misunderstood, misrepresented, and mistreated in dozens of ways. And I’ve noticed that quite a few of them have … [Read more...]
Why leaders must exercise self-control over their emotions
In order for you to help others and serve others well, you need to understand and control your emotions. This will help you stay calm when caring for others and allow you to be a good example to the people you care for. The following recommendations are effective tools that will help you do that. Know your emotional self – Know your emotional reactions and how the … [Read more...]
Fightin’ words? How humility may help you avoid your next conflict
Do you have more conflicts than conversions? More disputes than disciples? If so, growing in humility may be what you need to avoid your next potential argument. Susan Lutz explains why. Takeaways and additional thoughts … The proud person can fall into the trap of believing his flaws are minor, so he can be tempted to think the person who complains … [Read more...]
Feeling the burn: Defusing the source of your anger
It’s no secret that we get angry with staff members, church members, and even family members. But just because we may have more spiritual authority and insight than those we interact with doesn’t mean we’re always innocent when it comes to conflict. Elyse Fitzpatrick explains … Questions to ask yourself when you’re angry with a church member: What do I want … [Read more...]