#Goals - Part 2 - SE StudentsSample

Who do you call when you’ve had a hard day? Many of us will call, text, or FaceTime a good friend. We usually go to someone who understands us and will give us the space to vent, breathe, complain, confess, or just talk some things out. A good friend listens well. But a good friend also won’t let us stay in the negative places for long—he or she will encourage us and help lift us out of the dark days we may find ourselves in. When a friend comes to us and needs us to be that person, we can offer a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on and give them the space they need. The Bible says we should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. We should be the type of friend we would need in their same situation—someone who will listen first and speak later. But when we speak, it should be words of encouragement that bring forth love, grace, truth, peace, and hope. Rather than wallowing in our own self-pity or stepping into that of a friend, we should find someone to speak courage into us and seek to do the same for others.