{"id":114625,"date":"2024-07-06T12:06:26","date_gmt":"2024-07-06T16:06:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/discovergrace.com\/?p=114625"},"modified":"2024-07-06T13:28:46","modified_gmt":"2024-07-06T17:28:46","slug":"how-to-be-a-better-friend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/discovergrace.com\/how-to-be-a-better-friend\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Be a Better Friend"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=&#8221;in_container&#8221; full_screen_row_position=&#8221;middle&#8221; column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; scene_position=&#8221;center&#8221; text_color=&#8221;dark&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; row_border_radius_applies=&#8221;bg&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; shape_divider_position=&#8221;bottom&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221;][vc_column column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; column_position=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221;][divider line_type=&#8221;No Line&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=&#8221;in_container&#8221; full_screen_row_position=&#8221;middle&#8221; column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; scene_position=&#8221;center&#8221; text_color=&#8221;dark&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; row_border_radius_applies=&#8221;bg&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; shape_divider_position=&#8221;bottom&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221;][vc_column column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; column_position=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221;][vc_column_text]\n<p class=\"p1\"><span class=\"s1\"><i>Sermon highlights from\u00a0<\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=QprKzofAmto&amp;t=55s\"><span class=\"s2\"><i>Relationship Reset Week 5.<\/i><\/span><\/a><i>\u00a0Sermon by Pastor Mike Adkins; notes compiled by Dan O\u2019Toole.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p3\">Big Idea:<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li4\">Whoever Has Been Forgiven Much, Loves Much.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"p3\">Week 5 Main Scripture:<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li4\">Colossians 3:12-14<\/li>\n<li class=\"li4\">Luke 7:36-50<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"p6\">Our Identity as God\u2019s Chosen People \u2013 Holy and Dearly Loved<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p4\">Our old, sinful nature no longer defines us in Christ. Through Christ, we have <b>Justification<\/b>, in which God gives us Salvation. <b>Sanctification<\/b> follows, in which our part is to receive God\u2019s gift of Salvation and participate with God in our spiritual growth \u2013 becoming who God created us to be.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p4\">Since we have taken off the old self, we are now free to clothe ourselves in godly character like compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Displaying godly character will not be entirely possible until we understand we are <b>chosen by God<\/b>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p4\"><b>God initiates and sustains your spiritual life<\/b>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p4\">God chose you. The Holy Spirit develops a \u201cspiritual curiosity\u201d within you, leading you toward learning and becoming a follower of Jesus. This is how God draws you into a relationship with him. <b>Even amid rebellion, wickedness, sin, and poor decisions, God still chose you<\/b>.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p6\">1 John 4:10<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p4\">The foundation of your relationship with God is not that you sought God out, as though God was hiding himself from you. God loved you first, and he\u2019s always made himself present, ready, and available to be loved, in return, by you. God sent his son Jesus to sacrificially cover the distance, created by sin, between you and God.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p6\">Zephaniah 3:17<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p4\">\u201cThe Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p4\">Sometimes, we may know that the Bible tells us that God delights in us, loves us, and rejoices over us, but we don\u2019t feel it or think it could be true of us. When harmful, broken voices and relationships from our past get internalized, we tend to project that brokenness onto God.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p4\">Conversely, <b>when we begin to internalize God\u2019s love for us, we get better at loving others<\/b>.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p6\">Accountability vs. Spiritual Friendships<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p4\">Accountability is often used as a poor substitute for love and only encourages people to hide and live in shame. There is no five-week plan to rid oneself of life-long patterns.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p4\">Spiritual friendships are not centered around trying to find out what\u2019s wrong within each other. Instead, you are surrounded by people who love you and are speaking into your life.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p4\"><b>In spiritual friendships, you need to be willing to listen to accountability from a brother or sister who loves you.<\/b> While everyone needs to be accountable to someone in a spiritual way, no one is meant to be accountable to everyone. Relationship is the foundation for the right to speak accountability into someone\u2019s life.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p4\">In spiritual friendships, you receive accountability, and the relationship continues to move forward.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p4\"><b>In spiritual friendships, you need a person in your life who will tell you the truth.<\/b><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p6\">Forgiving as the Lord Forgave You<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p4\">One way we get stuck in unforgiveness is by using the wrong standards for <i>when<\/i> or <i>if<\/i> we should forgive someone.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p4\">God\u2019s standard of forgiveness is never \u201cwhen they ask for forgiveness.\u201d In some cases, the person we must forgive is dead, making it impossible for them to ask for your forgiveness.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p4\">God\u2019s standard of forgiveness is also not \u201cwhen they get their act together\u201d or \u201cwhen they\u2019ve made amends.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p4\">Forgiveness is not a once and for all decision. The deeper the wound, forgiveness becomes a daily decision. Until you\u2019ve forgiven a person, you are bonded with them. Unforgiveness drags you through rumination about that person and what they did, which keeps them around in your mind and heart.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p4\">By not identifying with the forgiveness given to you through Christ, you will be limited in the forgiveness you give to others.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p4\">We can forgive ourselves, knowing that the creator of the universe has forgiven us.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"p6\">Recommended Resources on Forgiveness:<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"ul1\">\n<li class=\"li4\"><i>Forgive and Forget<\/i> by Lewis Smedes<\/li>\n<li class=\"li4\"><i>The Art of Forgiving<\/i> by Lewis Smedes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row type=&#8221;in_container&#8221; full_screen_row_position=&#8221;middle&#8221; column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; scene_position=&#8221;center&#8221; text_color=&#8221;dark&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; row_border_radius_applies=&#8221;bg&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; shape_divider_position=&#8221;bottom&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221;][vc_column column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; column_link_target=&#8221;_self&#8221; column_position=&#8221;default&#8221; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243; tablet_width_inherit=&#8221;default&#8221; animation_type=&#8221;default&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221; border_type=&#8221;simple&#8221; column_border_width=&#8221;none&#8221; column_border_style=&#8221;solid&#8221;][vc_column_text]<em>Catch up or rewatch the full messages from our Relationship Reset series <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLz5PuMh2kVdRyt-VWvRNRXZBhpqMTtksZ&amp;si=0NDj-JwYISKhlzzC\">here.<\/a><\/strong><\/em>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row type=&#8221;in_container&#8221; full_screen_row_position=&#8221;middle&#8221; column_margin=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_tablet=&#8221;default&#8221; column_direction_phone=&#8221;default&#8221; scene_position=&#8221;center&#8221; text_color=&#8221;dark&#8221; text_align=&#8221;left&#8221; row_border_radius=&#8221;none&#8221; row_border_radius_applies=&#8221;bg&#8221; overflow=&#8221;visible&#8221; overlay_strength=&#8221;0.3&#8243; gradient_direction=&#8221;left_to_right&#8221; shape_divider_position=&#8221;bottom&#8221; bg_image_animation=&#8221;none&#8221;][vc_column column_padding=&#8221;no-extra-padding&#8221; column_padding_tablet=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_phone=&#8221;inherit&#8221; column_padding_position=&#8221;all&#8221; column_element_direction_desktop=&#8221;default&#8221; column_element_spacing=&#8221;default&#8221; desktop_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; tablet_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; phone_text_alignment=&#8221;default&#8221; background_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; background_hover_color_opacity=&#8221;1&#8243; column_backdrop_filter=&#8221;none&#8221; column_shadow=&#8221;none&#8221;&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":47,"featured_media":114627,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[139],"tags":[],"post_folder":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-114625","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-the-relationship-reset-issue"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - 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