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Your Nightly Prayer: Evening Prayers for Christian... - Loving Family Members Who Believe Differently · LifeAudio

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  Speaker 1: Thank you for tuning in to Your Nightly Prayer, a
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  Speaker 1: podcast designed to help you rest and connect with your
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  Speaker 1: Father in Heaven as the day ends. God is ready
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  Speaker 1: to meet you in this moment of peace as you
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  Speaker 1: settle into sleep. After this short word from our sponsor,
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  Speaker 1: we'll encounter tonight's devotional. Loving family members who believe differently.
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  Speaker 1: Written by Greg Grandchamp and read by your host, Brooke McLaughlin.
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  Speaker 1: Tonight's scripture. Bear with each other and forgive one another
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  Speaker 1: if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive
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  Speaker 1: as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues,
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  Speaker 1: put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
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  Speaker 1: Colossians 3, 13-14 Something to ponder. It is no secret
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  Speaker 1: that there seem to be greater divisions today than at
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  Speaker 1: any other time in our lives. And those divisions are
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  Speaker 1: not just political, although political disagreements can certainly create a
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  Speaker 1: wide divide. Perhaps they believe in a different faith or denomination.
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  Speaker 1: Perhaps they are agnostic or even an atheist. And let's remember,
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  Speaker 1: believers or not, they may live their lives in a
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  Speaker 1: way that you don't agree with. How many have experienced
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  Speaker 1: some type of divide with family because of something you
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  Speaker 1: believe that they disagree with? Yeah, me too. But it's
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  Speaker 1: important that we not let those detachments, those separations, come
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  Speaker 1: from us. We must set aside any disagreements or disputes— political,
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  Speaker 1: or otherwise. When these divisions come, and they may, it
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  Speaker 1: is important that we choose to let the most important
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  Speaker 1: thing be the most important thing in our relationship. Love.
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  Speaker 1: By that, I mean love for others that reflects the
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  Speaker 1: light of Christ in a dark world. We are called
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  Speaker 1: to love our neighbors, and our neighbors include family, even
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  Speaker 1: the difficult ones. You may think that what they believe
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  Speaker 1: is crazy is yet still love them. You might wonder
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  Speaker 1: how in the world they have come to such a conclusion,
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  Speaker 1: yet still love them. Please remember, it is not ours
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  Speaker 1: to win every argument. It is ours to model love, grace, patience,
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  Speaker 1: and humility in our interactions. Not every disagreement must be debated.
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  Speaker 1: Let us remember that there will be times to remain
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  Speaker 1: silent and times to speak. There will be times when
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  Speaker 1: truth is absolutely needed. If someone asks sincere questions, 1
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  Speaker 1: Peter 3.15-16 tells us to be prepared to give an
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  Speaker 1: answer to everyone who asks you, to give the reason
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  Speaker 1: for the hope that you have. But do this with
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  Speaker 1: gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience so that those
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  Speaker 1: who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may
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  Speaker 1: be ashamed of their slander. Other times, a family member
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  Speaker 1: may seek guidance. However, when your silence would communicate approval
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  Speaker 1: of something harmful or sinful or untrue about the Lord's teaching,
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  Speaker 1: do not be afraid to speak up, gently, in love
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  Speaker 1: and grace and with truth. Sometimes when you know ahead
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  Speaker 1: of time that disagreements may arise with someone you'll be seeing,
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  Speaker 1: the wise choice is to remain silent, to wait and listen.
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  Speaker 1: and if they comment, ignore it if you can. Speak
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  Speaker 1: only when the truth is absolutely needed, or if someone
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  Speaker 1: is asking. But always answer with gentleness and humility, and
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  Speaker 1: that does not mean with weakness. Otherwise, if you are
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  Speaker 1: engaged not by your own choice, avoid making others feel
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  Speaker 1: as if they are being excluded or judged in any way.
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  Speaker 1: Show them love without condoning their choices. After all, You
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  Speaker 1: can love someone without agreeing with or approving of every
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  Speaker 1: decision they make or belief they have. Many good people
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  Speaker 1: can believe differently, and we can respect people's right to
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  Speaker 1: believe as they choose. Kindness and love are not acceptance
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  Speaker 1: of their beliefs. Families have indeed experienced a great many
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  Speaker 1: disagreements throughout history. Different opinions, personalities, life choices, priorities... Disagreement
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  Speaker 1: does not have to result in disassociation. Believers can learn
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  Speaker 1: to navigate our differences with respect, grace, and wisdom. Our
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  Speaker 1: responsibility is faithfulness, not control or victory. Let us remember
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  Speaker 1: that while truth absolutely matters, conversion and transformation ultimately belong
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  Speaker 1: to God. We can never argue someone into faith. We
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  Speaker 1: must leave the work of faith in the hands of
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  Speaker 1: the Holy Spirit. Your Nightly Prayer Father in heaven, I
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  Speaker 1: know that there are times when I allow my disagreement
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  Speaker 1: to escalate into an unacceptable form. I pray that you
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  Speaker 1: would be with me during those times and put a
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  Speaker 1: guard over my heart and over my mouth. Father, please
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  Speaker 1: give me the words you would have me speak and
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  Speaker 1: let your Holy Spirit guide me to know when I
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  Speaker 1: should remain silent. Amen. Three things to meditate upon. Number one,
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  Speaker 1: actively listen. Don't just simply prepare the next thing you
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  Speaker 1: want to say, waiting for your time to speak. Hear
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  Speaker 1: what they have to say. James 1.19 says be slow
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  Speaker 1: to speak and quick to listen. Two, demonstrate kindness and
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  Speaker 1: remain humble. Show respect for what they believe, even if
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  Speaker 1: you vehemently disagree. Try to understand why they believe as
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  Speaker 1: they do. And number three, pray. Pray to the Lord
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  Speaker 1: to guide you and to give you the words He
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  Speaker 1: would have you say. And pray that He would put
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  Speaker 1: a guard over your mouth. Psalm 141.3 Reflect on tonight's
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  Speaker 1: prayer and share how God met you there. Join the
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  Speaker 1: Your Nightly Prayer discussion on the Crosswalk Forum. Thank you
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  Speaker 1: for listening to Your Nightly Prayer, a production of the
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  Speaker 1: Life Audio Network. If you found comfort and inspiration in
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  Speaker 1: tonight's prayer, be sure to follow and subscribe on Apple,
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  Speaker 1: Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Follow today so
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  Speaker 1: you never miss a moment of peace and reflection to
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  Speaker 1: end your day.