Colossians Chapter 1
Study One: Lesson Two -- Being Thankful for Difficult People!
Verse 1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
Verse 2 To the holy and faithful brothers in Christ at Colosse: Grace and peace to you from God our Father.
Verse 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,
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Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV
Copyright (c) 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved
Study One: “Thankful for You”
Colossians 1:1-3
Paul opens by telling his friends how thankful he is for them, and that he is praying for them. Who are you thankful for? The husband who spends evenings in a recliner in front of the TV? The teen who doesn’t remember his shoes until you have driven halfway to his school? The friend who has saddled you with her drama for over twenty years? In this passage (and related Scriptural references) we learn why we are to be thankful, and more importantly, why we are to pray for those closest to us.
Lesson Two: Being Thankful for Difficult People
"If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:46-48
It is easy to appreciate those who make us joyful. The child who is never in trouble and gets good grades, the friend who is always positive and supporting, the loving parent....
But what about those who irk us or rub us the wrong way? The gossipy neighbor, the demanding boss, or the jealous in-law? How can we be thankful for people that bring us distress?
God loves us ALL and tells us to "love our enemies." Easier said than done...however, something to strive for!
Assignment: List each of the 'difficult' people in your life. These may be people you interface with regularly, or people from your past that left strong negative memories. For each person on your list, describe the following:
- Why do you find the person difficult?
- Why must you interface with the person? (or why did you in the past?)
- What personality traits do you share with the person?
- What can you learn from the person?
- How can you not let the person distress you?
- How can you love the person?
Advanced: Add Scripture references.
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