How to Find Peace in Broken Relationships at Christmas

Is your heart hurting over a broken relationship at Christmas? It seems like Christmas brings all of our deepest feelings to the surface, good and bad. This wonderful time of year can actually increase the hurt if our relationships are broken.

Prefer to listen? Here’s the podcast episode:

Finding Peace Despite Broken Relationships at Christmas

Are you suffering from a broken relationship at Christmas?

I’m dealing with a few of them, and if we were having tea together in real life, I’d let you in on the details.

Suffice it to say, my broken relationships threaten my inner peace.

I’m not ignorant of our enemy Satan’s schemes. Ever since I returned from a mountaintop experience this July, I feel like I’ve been under spiritual attack. Since relationships matter so much to me, I’m sure that’s why they’ve been targeted.

But I’m not letting the enemy have the upper hand, even though I’m hurting. The enemy wants to destroy your peace by messing with your relationships.

As Far As It Depends On You, Live in Peace

God is showing me I can find peace in the midst of the problems. He’s showing me to own my part but not take on the other person’s responsibility. In fact, that very habit has gotten me in trouble over the years. When I take responsibility for other people’s happiness, my peace is eventually destroyed. People-pleasing never leads to peace.

In his quiet way, God is showing me that I can only control my own behavior and actions. I can’t be responsible for the way anyone else feels. Also, if I need to confront them, I can’t count on getting a pleasant reaction–no matter how well-planned, well-worded, and well-timed my confrontation may be. They may retaliate or even start a relationship war. I can’t stop them, no matter how much I care.

Broken Relationships and God’s Peace

God is teaching me that though my broken relationships cause me pain, I can find peace in his presence, anytime and anywhere.

I can trust that he will never let me down, shut me out, manipulate me, criticize me, or use me.

I can trust him to speak to me through his word, through Christian friends, through sermons, through songs, and through books. And I can hear his loving voice through prayer, all day long.

I can trust him to value me, treasure me, cherish me, listen to me, and uphold me. I am his precious child, and in his presence I find peace in abundance.

Peace in Abundance

Do you know God will do the same for you in your broken relationships? He is waiting for you to come to him, with arms open wide.

I’ll close this devotion with these words of Jesus.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.” John 14:27 NIV

I hope you will meditate on Jesus’ words each time a relationship problem threatens this Christmas. God is ready to give you peace if you surrender your broken relationships to his loving care.

If you liked this post, I would appreciate your shares on social media!

This post may be linked up at these linkups.

If you make a purchase through the provided links, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you in advance for supporting my writing ministry!

My weekly newsletter Tea on Tuesdaysis delivered at 3:00 p.m. Central time every Tuesday. I write an exclusive devotion for you each week that I share with you first.

To receive the newsletter, please subscribe below. I can’t wait to share personally with you each week!