Sometimes relationships remain painfully stuck despite our prayers, countless conversations, forgiveness and every effort to make things better. When someone we love continues in unhealthy patterns, we can find ourselves replaying every interaction, questioning our decisions and wondering if we simply haven't tried or prayed hard enough. Or, we might question our perspective, wondering if we're being overly sensitive and simply need to offer more grace. Yet, we still hurt and our anxiety remains.

In this episode, Jennifer Slattery and neuropsychologist Dr. Michelle Bengtson explore how to accept difficult realities without losing hope, recognize unhealthy relational patterns, establish wise boundaries and guard our hearts against bitterness while remaining open to God's work. Together, they discuss the difference between reconciliation and responsibility, why forgiveness frees our own souls and how we can experience lasting peace even when someone we love chooses not to change.

Scriptures Discussed
Romans 12:18, John 13, Matthew 18:21–22, James 1:5, Matthew 5:44, Ephesians 4:31–32

Dr. Michelle Bengtson book: Sacred Scars: Resting in God's Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted

Additional resources mentioned:

Dr. Michelle Bengtson's episode on betrayal and rejection: How to Break Free from Shame and Embrace Who God Says You Are

How to Overcome Rejection and Abandonment with God's Love

Connect with Dr. Michelle Bengtson:

On her website

On Instagram

On Facebook

Follow her work on Amazon

Find Jennifer Slattery:

On her website

Instagram

Facebook

Amazon

Subscribe to her free newsletter

 

Sometimes relationships remain painfully stuck despite our prayers, countless conversations, forgiveness and every effort to make things better. When someone we love continues in unhealthy patterns, we can find ourselves replaying every interaction, questioning our decisions and wondering if we simply haven't tried or prayed hard enough. Or, we might question our perspective, wondering if we're being overly sensitive and simply need to offer more grace. Yet, we still hurt and our anxiety remains.
In this episode, Jennifer Slattery and neuropsychologist Dr. Michelle Bengtson explore how to accept difficult realities without losing hope, recognize unhealthy relational patterns, establish wise boundaries and guard our hearts against bitterness while remaining open to God's work. Together, they discuss the difference between reconciliation and responsibility, why forgiveness frees our own souls and how we can experience lasting peace even when someone we love chooses not to change.
Scriptures Discussed
<ul data-spread="false">
<li>Romans 12:18,&nbsp;John 13,&nbsp;Matthew 18:21&ndash;22,&nbsp;James 1:5,&nbsp;Matthew 5:44,&nbsp;Ephesians 4:31&ndash;32</li>
</ul>
Dr. Michelle Bengtson book: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Scars-Resting-Promise-Wasted/dp/0800742362/">Sacred Scars: Resting in God's Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted</a>
Additional resources mentioned:
Dr. Michelle Bengtson's episode on betrayal and rejection: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-break-free-from-shame-and-embrace-who-god-says-you-are/id1468018011?i=1000768905885">How to Break Free from Shame and Embrace Who God Says You Are</a>
<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-overcome-rejection-and-abandonment-with-gods-love/id1468018011?i=1000749424656">How to Overcome Rejection and Abandonment with God's Love</a>
Connect with Dr. Michelle Bengtson:
<a href="https://drmichellebengtson.com/">On her website</a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/drmichellebengtson/">On Instagram</a>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/DrMichelleBengtson/">On Facebook</a>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Dr.-Michelle-Bengtson/author/B01IYBJANO?ref=ap_rdr&amp;shoppingPortalEnabled=true&amp;ccs_id=acfe59ba-32c4-43d4-98dc-1734fd915600">Follow her work on Amazon</a>
Find Jennifer Slattery:
<a href="http://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com">On her website</a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/slatteryjennifer/">Instagram</a>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083247680572">Facebook</a>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00JKQ4ZTW">Amazon</a>
<a href="https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/s5w7a8">Subscribe to her free newsletter</a>
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Life is too short and God has too much for us to do for any of us to live enslaved. Jesus promised His followers would experience filled to overflowing life, a life characterized by joy, peace, and spiritual and emotional vitality. And yet, we daily make decisions based on fear, not faith. In Faith Over Fear, author and speaker Jennifer Slattery helps us see different areas of life where fear has a foothold, and how our identity as children of God can help us move from fear to faithful, bold living.

This podcast covers topics like:

⭐️ How to Overcome Fear
⭐️ Biblical Strategies for Overcoming Fear and Anxiety
⭐️ Powerful Steps to Fight Anxiety
⭐️ Finding God Faithful in Hard Seasons
⭐️ Courage to Wait on God

Jesus has more planned for us than we could imagine and He’s fully committed to perfecting that which concerns us. Fear holds us back, but His perfect love has the power to cast out all fear!

Life is too short and God has too much for us to do for any of us to live enslaved. Jesus promised His followers would experience filled to overflowing life, a life characterized by joy, peace, and spiritual and emotional vitality. And yet, we daily make decisions based on fear, not faith. In Faith Over Fear, author and speaker Jennifer Slattery helps us see different areas of life where fear has a foothold, and how our identity as children of God can help us move from fear to faithful, bold living.
This podcast covers topics like:
⭐️ How to Overcome Fear ⭐️ Biblical Strategies for Overcoming Fear and Anxiety ⭐️ Powerful Steps to Fight Anxiety ⭐️ Finding God Faithful in Hard Seasons ⭐️ Courage to Wait on God
Jesus has more planned for us than we could imagine and He’s fully committed to perfecting that which concerns us. Fear holds us back, but His perfect love has the power to cast out all fear!

Life is too short and God has too much for us to do for any of us to live enslaved. Jesus promised His followers would experience filled to overflowing life, a life characterized by joy, peace, and spiritual and emotional vitality. And yet, we daily...

Faith Over Fear

How to Know if Your Difficult Relationship is Toxic

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/0fa0011e-a705-454a-96f6-b4790017c4f4/transcript