EP 2: 7 Secrets to Dealing with Difficult In-Laws

Do your in-laws give you fits? Are they difficult or demanding? Have you grown weary of even trying to please them?

Imagine how much easier your life and marriage would be if everyone could just learn to get along!

Although I now enjoy a wonderful relationship with my husband's parents, that has not always been the case. We butted heads in pretty significant ways during our early years of marriage.

But those rocky first years taught me a lot about extending grace to folks who often seemed less than thrilled to have me in their family. In this podcast, I share the seven strategic steps I took to turn things around.

SCRIPTURES CITED:

- “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” (Romans 12:18)

- “Keeping away from strife is an honor for a man, but any fool will quarrel.” (Proverbs 20:3)

- “Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.” (Proverbs 17:14)

- “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23-24)

- “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.” (James 5:16)

- “Treat everyone with high regard: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.” (1 Peter 2:17)

- “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility consider one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, as He already existed in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant and being born in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:3-8)

FOR FURTHER READING:

- How to Pray for Your Parents – works equally well with parents-in-law

- What I Most Appreciate about My Father-in-Law – focus on the good!

- Our Wedding Portrait – so you can judge for yourself how sick & pale I looked

- Weekly Newsletter – join 19K other subscribers to Flanders Family Freebies

- Love Your Husband, Love Yourself – my life-changing marriage book

- Flanders Family Home Life – my family blog, full of free printable resources + parenting tips

- Loving Life at Home – my marriage blog where I discuss topics of interest to wives