Making room for listening and understanding in relationships.
A devotional shared by Aramide K.
Meet Aramide Kahinde. Aramide is a technology strategist, data scientist, and creative at heart who loves bringing together innovation, storytelling, and meaningful human connection. With a background spanning global consulting firms and leading technology companies, she's passionate about using technology to solve problems and create meaningful impact.
Aramide and her husband, Pastor Rotimi, are raising their young family while serving as part of the City Church Chicago community. Beyond her professional life, she has a love for music, songwriting, and worship, and enjoys exploring creative projects whenever inspiration strikes.
Whether navigating motherhood, pursuing her creative passions, or supporting the people around her, Aramide values meaningful relationships, personal growth, and a faith that continues to shape every part of her life.
SCRIPTURE
Amos 3:3
"Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?"
Today’s Encouragement
What do you do when you don't see eye to eye with someone you love?
Whether in marriage, friendship, family, or another meaningful relationship, disagreements are inevitable. And sometimes, the things we disagree about aren't small. They involve decisions about finances, health, our future, or something that matters deeply to us.
Early in my career, I attended a gathering where women from different generations shared their life experiences. I remember hearing one woman speak about her divorce and watching the reactions around the room. That experience made me think about how we navigate division in our relationships.
Years later, after getting married, I began to understand just how challenging it can be when two people don't see eye to eye.
Amos 3:3 asks, "Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?" That question stayed with me because I wondered what it meant for relationships where disagreements are simply part of life.
I've learned that one of my biggest struggles in those moments is fear. Fear of division, but also fear that resolving a disagreement might mean making myself smaller, staying silent, or setting aside something important to me.
But I've also learned that when I approach conflict from a place of fear, it rarely leads to the kind of growth or understanding I'm hoping for.
Instead of rushing toward a resolution, I'm learning to pause and invite Jesus into the conversation.
One of the most beautiful things I've discovered is that Jesus is willing to meet us in the messy middle.
He doesn't always offer a quick fix. Sometimes, when I bring Him a disagreement, He gently reveals something within my own heart that needs attention. Maybe it's an insecurity, a fear, or a perspective that needs to change.
Those moments become opportunities for transformation rather than simply trying to prove a point or reach the outcome I want.
Making room for Jesus in our relationships means being willing to listen, even when His response challenges us. It means allowing Him to work within us while we navigate what is happening around us.
So the next time you find yourself in a difficult disagreement, consider pausing before rushing to a conclusion. Bring the situation to Jesus, ask Him what He wants you to see, and remain open to how He might be inviting you to grow.
Sometimes the greatest breakthrough begins not with changing someone else's mind, but with allowing Jesus to transform our own hearts.
A Moment to Reflect
When you experience disagreement in an important relationship, do you tend to respond from a place of fear, frustration, or the need for resolution? What might change if you invited Jesus to speak to your heart before deciding how to respond?
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for being present in every part of our lives, including the relationships and conversations that aren't always easy to navigate.
Lord, when we find ourselves in disagreement with someone we love, help us resist the urge to respond out of fear, frustration, or the need to be right. Give us the patience to pause, listen, and invite You into the uncomfortable moments.
Holy Spirit, reveal the places in our hearts where insecurity, fear, or past experiences may be shaping how we respond to others. Give us the humility to recognize where we need to grow, the wisdom to know when to speak, and the courage to stand in truth with love.
Remind us that healthy relationships don't require us to abandon our voices, but they do invite us to grow in grace, understanding, and compassion.
Thank You for meeting us in the messy middle, for never giving up on us, and for continually shaping us to become more like Jesus.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
