Relationships can be messy. Ranging from a little, "oops, I spilled the coffee" kind of mess... to the more devastating, "a tornado ripped through this place" kind of mess.

Whether it's with your kids, your spouse or a friend, there's no question that relationships are ripe for all kinds of conflict. Put two imperfect people into a room—each with their own past, ideas and view of the world—and it can be like putting two lit matches next to a can of gasoline.‍

Boom.‍

While it takes two to tango (as they say) and create problems... it only takes one to be the bigger person and start the healing process. You can't control how the other person reacts or even whether they say sorry.

But your reactions are up to you. You can be the first to apologize, offer forgiveness or make a move to build strength back into a relationship.

Sounds great and all, but what if you're still steaming mad? Or just plain disappointed? Maybe you feel like you're more likely to bite their head off instead of offering anything that remotely resembles grace.

So... what then?

The good news is, you don't have to fix everything in the relationship by yourself. As a believer, God's power and presence is within you. When you feel nothing but bitterness, you can tap into His grace. When you can't find it within yourself to forgive, you can draw from His strength.

And one of the BEST ways to do that is to meditate on God's Word. It has the power to soften your heart and bring peace when you're upset. As you read the Word, Holy Spirit can give you creative ideas for how to connect to your family better or reach out to a friend who's struggling.

It's amazing what happens when you start to declare the Word out loud and make it personal. You could take James 1:19 and say, "I'm quick to listen to others, slow to speak my opinion and slow to get angry. In every conversation, I seek peace."

Or reading 1 Corinthians 13:7, you might say, "I walk in the love of God—a love that withstands anything and is always ready to believe the best in people. With this love, I can endure the hard times and hang onto hope."

To give you a starting point, we've put together a set of eight declarations based on different verses like the ones above. Click here to download this month's Walk in the Word collection. Then start speaking these declarations over you and your loved ones every day.

As you do... your own heart will begin to change. And at the same time, you're speaking the life of God into your relationships!

P.S. If you'd like to get one of these collections every month, you can sign up for our emails. At the beginning of each month, we'll send you great resources to build your faith, including Walk in the Word.