One of the more common slangs these days is “breakfast” and no, this is not talking about the first meal of the day, but about heartbreaks.

Someone once said, “Love is giving someone the power to destroy you and trusting them not to use it.” In relationships, whether romantic, platonic, or otherwise, there’s always the possibility of hurt, conflict, and even betrayal, and sometimes these are unavoidable.

But the real question is: how do you deal with such hurt? The world has its ideas and strategies for coping, but as believers, what should our stance be?

Romans 12:10 
New King James Version
10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.

One thing you must learn as a believer is to cherish and handle relationships well. This is one of the first things you need to understand when it comes to handling hurt. As humans, we weren’t created to be creatures of isolation, and even in salvation, we see relationship at its core.

John 1:12 
New King James Version
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.

We are children of God—born into His family, so you can see that relationships are God’s idea.
He put in us the ability to form relationships, to love, to care, and to be strongly affectionate toward other humans; He placed that feeling in man. Therefore, you must know that relationships are important and treat them as such.

Conflicts and issues in relationships can arise; we are human, after all, and we are prone to make mistakes but the way you approach them is what sets you apart as someone who truly cherishes a relationship.

You have to be able to hold on to certain friendships; there are some you must not let go of easily. In our day, people are quick to pull out the scissors to cut others off and cancel them, rather than staying to resolve the issue. But that should not be your response as a believer.

This doesn’t mean the hurt isn’t valid or that it should be swept under the rug. Rather, you must understand that some relationships are not worth throwing away despite the hurt or challenges. Seek ways to resolve the problem. Make genuine attempts to fix the conflict: don’t be quick to withdraw completely.

Some friendships will spur you on to more with God—relationships ordained by Him that could be your saving grace, just like that of Jonathan and David.

Will you let that kind of bond go because of a conflict or some hurt?
Love isn’t only effective in the good times, even in seasons of hurt, real love shines through even more. Hurt does not and should not always mean you throw away important relationships, because many of them are still divinely orchestrated.

Matthew 18:15 
New King James Version
15 Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.

It is possible to gain a brother even after conflicts or faults.
Communicate with the person.
Be objective.
Be willing to see if you also have a part to play and address it.
Be proactive in making amends and seeking forgiveness so that the relationship can thrive. Don’t let pride get in the way of relationships God has set to build you. Don’t let the hurt be greater than the worth of the relationship.

Disagreements and conflicts are bound to happen in relationships. We are different people with different preferences so hurt can be inevitable. But how you handle and address it is what truly matters. God has created you to have relationships with others, and you are given the responsibility to ensure you cherish them and do your best to make them thrive.

Prayer Point
Lord, help my heart to cherish people and my relationships with them. Give me the wisdom to maintain them properly. Teach me to handle hurt and conflicts in my relationships with grace and love.