By “Get back to the main two or three commandments for your situation”. That is the counsel we so often need. The difficult situations we face each day, and sometimes for years on end, are so complex, that we exhaust ourselves trying to handle it all. Often all our trying contributes to the problem instead of the solution.
That is why, amidst all the wonderful instructions throughout the Scriptures, God has also given two or three commandments for most of the complex situations we find ourselves in regularly. These small handful of commands are always the starting point for handling complex situations, and often, especially when things get out of hand, these are the things we go back to as we try to start afresh again.
For example, a marriage can be full of miscommunication, bad habits, and past hurt, but when a husband starts over with loving his wife (Eph 5:25) and working to understand his wife (1 Pet 3:7), then at least his contribution to the marriage is better, and eventually even a stubborn wife will welcome love and understanding. Similarly with a wife who is the first to simplify her contribution to the marriage. When she demonstrates respect in her interaction with her husband (Eph 5:33), she too will find many of the complexities of their marriage resolved leaving only a handful of remaining matters that can then be counselled one at a time.
The same is true for parenting. When children are taught to obey with a good attitude (Eph 6:1-2) and parents stop angering their children (Eph 6:4), the situation at home will already be much better.
The same is true for your workplace. Work hard and honestly irrespective of the remuneration (Eph 6:5-8), and your work ethic will speak for itself when under scrutiny. Treat those who work for you humbly and fairly (Eph 6:9) and you will diffuse many of the daily work tensions over time.
Go find the basic commandments for whatever situation you are in, start with those, and you will find, if nothing else at first, at least your mind will be more focussed and conducive to positive change. The simplest way to handle complex situations is to go back to the starting point and getting it right first.
There is much wisdom in the Sunday School song that goes like this,
Read your Bible
Pray every day
Pray every day
Pray every day
Read your Bible
Pray every day
and you will grow, grow, grow!
Read your Bible
Pray every day
and you will grow, grow, grow.