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Hi Host team, This is it! For some of our committees, tomorrow our characters will be tested for 4-5days. Whether we have the patience, kindness, love, dedication, commitment and endurance in serving God thru this GDC...Some of us may become all the more inspired and encouraged to serve the Lord, and for some, might grow weary and become empty. for some we might gain new friends, but for some, friends might end up having troubled friendships. Therefore, may we all be encouraged by today's devotion. May we all be covered by God's amazing grace as we work for His glory and not our own. We may all want to
have a successful event in our hands, but God will be more interested in successfully transforming into the likenesss of Christ.
May 20, 2013
Saving Troubled Friendships
When we develop friendships, we intend for them to last. But since two fallen human beings are involved, occasional hurt feelings and unmet expectations are likely. If one or both people simply ignore the affront, the relationship can be damaged. Repairing a troubled friendship requires humility to admit our faults, effort to fix the problem, and time. But the reward is a renewed connection with a valued companion.
The process of saving a friendship begins when you acknowledge that damage exists. This takes place the moment you say, “I feel something isn’t right in our relationship. I’d like for us to find and fix the problem.” It is helpful to work together to assess how the trouble began—perhaps it resulted from a misunderstanding, an unresolved conflict, one person’s busyness, or the like.
After recognizing the problem, apologize for your part in it. Taking responsibility and saying “I’m sorry” shows your love and commitment to the friendship. Remember that an essential aspect of apologizing is refusing to justify wrong actions or blame someone else.
An apology must be followed up with amends. Ask your friend what specific action you both can take to rebuild the relationship. Then commit to follow his or her suggestion while occasionally asking, “How am I doing?”
Rather than waiting until their relationship is in trouble, wise friends will go through these steps as soon as they are aware of having hurt a loved one. As with physical injury, preventative care can soothe minor scrapes before they become serious wounds.
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