See the Good

Do you ever feel like there are seasons where you do more of the giving in your friendships? When we give so much of ourselves to our friendships, we are bound to get our feelings hurt, and it’s not always easy to see the good in our friends. It’s not easy, but it’s always a choice. 

I’ve been hurt by friends, and I’ve probably hurt my friends. When my feelings are hurt, I find that it’s easy to withdraw, feel sorry for myself, or become judgmental. I find that honesty and confession are important steps in overcoming self-pity and hurt. It can feel awkward to tell a friend that I’m feeling hurt, but I’ve seen the benefit of being honest and vulnerable. I also try to remember that there will come a season when my friends are doing more of the giving, and that helps me stay sensitive to how I could be unintentionally hurting someone’s feelings.

My friend Becki reminds us to make that choice to see the good. Beauty and life and laughter will unfold in our friendships when we choose to see the good above the hurt.

Authentic friendship is a beautiful mix of burden carrying, soul sharing, life speaking, endless laughter, and choosing to always see the good.

This is part of a series called 31 Days of Authentic Friendship. Click here to see all posts.