Permission to Change – Week Two
1. Pastor Tim discussed four strategies for dealing with difficult relationships: confront, ignore, endure, and serve. Think about a challenging relationship in your life right now – which strategy do you think would be the most loving response, and why?
2. The sermon mentioned that “if they know how to push your buttons, it’s your fault, cause they’re your buttons.” How does this perspective change how you might approach difficult relationships? What “buttons” do you need to work on?
3. The pastor shared the distinction between helping carry someone’s “boulder-sized burdens” versus carrying their “backpack” (their personal responsibilities). Share a time when you may have enabled someone by carrying their “backpack.” How could you have handled it differently?
4. In the story about Tom Anderson’s marriage, what strikes you about how small acts of intentional love transformed their relationship? What would it look like to “start living” in your challenging relationships?
5. The sermon emphasized that even difficult people matter deeply to God, referencing Jesus’ prayer on the cross: “Father, forgive them…” Pastor reminded us that even those who challenge us are loved by God, just as we are, emphasizing a need for compassion. How can remembering that a difficult person is loved by God change your attitude or response towards them?