The 5 Essential Principles for Restoring Female Friendships: With a Biblical Perspective
Female friendships are not just social relationships; they are a spiritual responsibility that helps reveal the glory of God. When friendships are broken or in trouble, we can restore them by applying biblical principles. Here, we provide an in-depth explanation and biblical examples of five key principles that can help restore female friendships.
1. Humility and repentance
Bible teaching:
Humility and repentance refer to a process of introspection and surrender. The Bible urges us to humble ourselves before the Lord and repent of our mistakes. As James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will lift you up.” This shows that when we surrender with our hearts open, the Lord begins the work of healing and restoration in our relationships.
Example:
Imagine that you and your friend have had a serious argument. Your friend said some words that hurt you. Before you respond, you need to examine your own heart condition. Did you use any unkind words? Did your behavior hurt his or her feelings? If so, the Bible says that you should humbly repent, and repentance opens the way for the friendship to be restored.
2. Honest communication
Bible teaching:
Honesty in communication encourages us to face the “elephant in the room” (big problems) and address those issues in an open and honest way. Ephesians 4:15 says, “Speaking the truth in love, we will grow up in every way into the mature body of the head, Christ.” This connects honesty with love and humility.
Example:
If you have a serious problem with your friend, you should talk to them in a serious way. You should express your feelings, but with love and respect. If your friend has hurt you, you should express this to them without resentment or anger. You can say, “I was hurt to hear that from you, and I want us to work through this together.”
3. Progressive treatment
Bible teaching:
Progressive healing is the process of gradually repairing any hurt or broken relationship. These moments are not over immediately, and patience and faith are needed in such moments. It is said in 1 Peter 5:10, “But the God of all grace, who called you in Christ, will establish you and strengthen you in peace with himself.”
Example:
When your friendship breaks down, you may expect to fix everything at once. However, repairing your relationship with your friend takes time and patience. With a little talk or collaboration over a period of time, you can begin to rebuild the friendship. For example, if your friend finds out that you have wronged someone, they may need to take the time to apologize and give you time and space so that the healing process can continue.
4. Forgiveness and acceptance
Bible teaching:
Forgiveness is a very important spiritual practice that is necessary to restore friendships. Jesus said in Matthew 18:21-22, “Peter said to me, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘Not seven times, but seven hundred times seven.’” This means that we must forgive countless times and without this process, our friendship is unlikely to be restored.
Example:
Let’s say your friend has hurt you and you can’t forgive him. But the Bible shows us the way to a big heart and forgiveness. According to Jesus’ teachings, forgiving is not only necessary to make yourself and God happy, but it is also necessary to bring salvation and peace to your friend. If you forgive, you will not only give peace to your heart, but your friendship will be restored.
5. Partnership in God’s purpose
Bible teaching:
When we make friends, we should keep God’s purpose in mind. 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 says, “All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the message of reconciliation.” This shows that our friendships are not just for personal pleasure, but also for God’s purpose.
Example:
When you and your friend share God’s purpose, your friendship will become stronger and more lasting. You have the opportunity to share your life’s purpose with each other, pray for each other, and help each other for the glory of God. If you have some disagreements with your friend, try to resolve these disagreements for the sake of God’s purpose.
