Communicating with difficult family members this Christmas can be very difficult and stressful. It overwhelms me. There are people in my family who are not good at communicating. Many of us can empathize with having fussy family members, but would like to know how to communicate with them in a healthy and positive way this Christmas.
Let’s discuss some important ways to successfully communicate with difficult family members this Christmas season.
pray before meeting them
Before you communicate with difficult family members this Christmas, pray intentionally before you meet them. Ask them to be willing to help you in any way they can to mend broken relationships. there is. Honestly, there is usually at least one family member who is particularly difficult. Instead of striving for peace, members of this family live for drama and cause trouble for others.
This may be a difficult lesson, but it’s important to pray before you meet them and pray for them too. God grants us strength, patience, and perseverance to communicate with difficult families whenever we seek His help. I have found that I can keep my mind focused on Christ throughout the time I have to be with my family. Meditating on your chosen verse will remind you that God is with you and will help you communicate with your family during difficult times this Christmas.
establish boundaries and protect them
Establishing boundaries and sticking to them can help you communicate with difficult family members this Christmas. They often push this line to the point of discomfort. Questions like “Why aren’t you dating anyone?” “Why aren’t you married yet?” And so on, all of them are awkward, and you are not obligated to answer just because your family asks. Establishing and adhering to boundaries can help avoid anger and frustration when these questions arise. should respect your feelings on this matter.
Setting boundaries is also important in a temporal sense. Setting time boundaries with difficult family members can help you communicate better because you have set time with them. Then you’ll know you don’t have to be with this person for long periods of time, which can help reduce stress. This can do wonders for our emotional and mental health during the Christmas holidays. Essential.
Many messy families can tire us out and make us dread the holidays. Jesus does not want us to be afraid of the anniversary of his birth. Boundaries are not selfish but necessary for overall well-being. You are not obligated to be with a difficult family member if they do not understand or respect their boundaries. You can choose to leave or move into a family that offers love, kindness and support. There is nothing wrong with leaving home for your mental health.
speak openly
Being open to talking is another way to communicate with a difficult family member this Christmas. You can. How what they said/did to you affected you negatively. Never be afraid to speak up about your feelings and stand up for yourself. Difficult family members can be overwhelmed by us and sometimes even hurt, but it takes a great deal of courage to speak openly about past pain and trauma. Afraid to be candid about the topic. But talking about these things can help us heal, starting to repair broken relationships within the family unit.
You may not be planning on speaking openly this year, but it’s okay if you’re not ready yet. If you want to be around positive family members, that’s perfectly fine. An important part we need to remember is that the more we avoid talking about pain, problems, or trauma, the longer it will heal. Difficult families may be closed to listening, but we believe they are willing to listen and discuss their problems. You can pray to God to help you.
Leave the results to God
Finally, there’s no need to be overly concerned or overwhelmed by thinking about communicating with your fussy family this Christmas. God is ultimately in control and we can entrust the outcome to Him. Our families have free will and are free to choose what to do, but God can take advantage of negative interactions and turn them into something for our benefit . This is great because God works everything out for our benefit. Romans 8:28 “And we know that God works in all things for those who love him and are called according to his purpose.” You can do everything for yourself. This includes conversations with difficult family members.
After all, God is our good Father. This Christmas may be frustrating and heartbreaking for some difficult family members, but we know that God will love us forever. Communicating with difficult families can feel impossible and overwhelming, but we can communicate with them through the power of Christ. If we struggle with worry or anxiety, we can turn to the Lord. He always listens to us and comforts us. We all want our families to give us love, but most of us have at least one family member that is difficult to interact with.
We can choose to surrender all these worries, concerns and stresses to God. God will work things out for us, so we can trust Him with the outcome. If you’re struggling with the thought of having to communicate with a difficult family member this Christmas, if it’s causing you serious mental or emotional problems, then you don’t have to go. I want you to take care of yourself and make sure you are in good mental health. If you are currently recovering from a particular family-related issue, it may be best to avoid celebrations in order to preserve your own well-being. Always celebrate with loved ones who truly love and care about you can do.
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Vivian Bricker Help those who love Jesus, learn the Word of God, and walk with Christ. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Ministry of Christianity with an emphasis on theology. Her favorite things to do are spending time with her family and friends, reading, and spending time outside. When she’s not writing, she’s embarking on other adventures.
