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Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast

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254 How To Repair a Friendship with Grace to Move from Hurt to Healing

Feb 22, 2024

Episode Summary:
 
What do you do when your friend walks away from your relationship without explanation or chance for reconciliation? Guilt and shame keep Christian women from talking about it. It’s embarrassing, confusing, and often heartbreaking. In this episode, Jessica Van Roekel and I talk about a common event, that few in Christian circles discuss openly. 

Misunderstandings happen and disagreements occur even in the healthiest of relationships. In a world that seems to thrive on discord, it can be tempting to run from conflict in a friendship. But conflict can bring about growth if we don’t fear or avoid it. Lack of communication, pride, fear, misunderstanding, careless words, being quick to pick up an offense lead to cracks in a friendship. These cracks can potentially lead to broken friendships. Stay tuned for how to repair a friendship with grace to move from hurt to healing.


Quotables from the episode:

  • Lack of communication, pride, fear, misunderstanding, careless words, being quick to pick up an offense lead to cracks in a friendship.
  • Sometimes pursuing “why?” postpones our healing, because for some things we will never receive an answer; but “what?” can be a more productive question. What does God want to reveal about himself? What does God want to reveal within me? What does God want me to learn? What does God want me to change?
  • Repairing a friendship begins with a posture of humility and self-reflection; aiming to understand rather than being right.
  • Practical ways to offer grace include expressing interest in another, declaring gratitude for the positive traits and contributions of another, speaking a kind word in response to receiving a critical word, seeking to live unoffended, and assuming the best while forgiving the rest.
  • We understand the pain of a broken relationship and we know the power of the healing work God does in our hearts even if a relationship can’t be healed.

 

Scripture References:

  • Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
  • Hebrews 12:14 “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness, no one will see the Lord.”

 

Recommended Resources: 

 

Social Media Links for Guest and Host:

Connect with Jessica Van Roekel:

Website / Instagram / Facebook

For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at:

Order Book Breaking Anxiety’s Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails  /  Website  /  Blog  /  Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson)  /  LinkedIn  /  Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube

Guest:

Jessica Van Roekel is a worship leader, speaker, and writer who believes that through Jesus, personal histories don’t need to define the present or determine the future. She inspires, encourages, and equips others to look at life through the lenses of hope, trust, and God’s transforming grace. Jessica lives in rural Iowa surrounded by wide open spaces which remind her of God’s expansive love. She loves fun earrings, good coffee, and connecting with others.

 

Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson
Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson