Community | Essentials of Spiritual Friendship: Created for Connection - Part 2

Send us Fan MailEssentials of Spiritual Friendship: Created for Connection - Part 2Springcreek Church | Senior Pastor Keith StewartSeptember 12, 2021Friendship love is a unique sort of love. It brings something into our lives that we sorely need. Ancient cultures celebrated great friendships and recognized the unique contribution friends play in our emotional, physical, and spiritual health. We cannot be wise without meaningful friendships. You were created for connection. Join us this Sunday as we learn about the "Essentials of Spiritual Friendship."SERIES: Created for ConnectionToo many are suffering from a lack of love which leaves them feeling isolated, uncared for, and lonely. We were made to enjoy satisfying relationships with God and one another. We really do need each other to be fully human, fully Christian, and fully alive. No matter how strong we are, all of us from time to time need help to carry our burdens. We need each other's gifts. We need to hear the truth spoken in love. We need relationships that nourish us, build us up, and affirm our gifting and uniqueness. You were created for connection.DISCUSSION QUESTIONS1. Friendship love is a unique sort of love. It brings somethinginto our lives that we sorely need. Ancient culturescelebrated great friendships and recognized the uniquecontribution friends play in our emotional, physical, andspiritual health. We cannot be wise without meaningfulfriendships. But, as Pastor Keith pointed out, friendship isoften the least prioritized, least celebrated, and least valuedof all our relationships. Discuss why this is so.2. The discovery of friendship involves finding others whoshare our beliefs, values, and journey in life. This is thebeginning point of all great friendships. Not everyrelationship where you find commonality with others willblossom into a great friendship. Why is that so? What sharedinterests are important to you in friendship? In your longest-lasting friendship, what are those initial “me, too” momentsthat brought you together?3. The four qualities of a great friendship are constancy,carefulness, candor, and counsel.a. constancy – they love you for you and are there for youwhen you need themb. carefulness – there is an emotional vulnerability sharedin the relationship and it is protected and valuedaccordinglyc. candor – great friendship always speak the truth in loved. counsel – counsel is the willingness to share thesecrets of the heart and to be open to receivingperspective, guidance, and direction in ourvulnerabilitiesHow have you seen these qualities played out in yourfriendships for good or bad? Have you ever been violated inone of these areas by a trusted friend? What did that do toyou and how did it affect the relationship?4. The best security we share as Christ-followers is the promiseof Christ that He is our friend and has brought us into arelationship where all of these qualities are perfectly fulfilledin Him. Because we have the security net of His friendshiplove, we can risk loving others in this way knowing if theydisappoint us, hurt us or betray us, we have One Who neverwill. How has the friendship of Christ helped you in your lessthan perfect friendships? If you’ve never thought about it inthose terms before now, what examples can you think offrom Scripture or your own experience where Jesus hadmodeled these qualities of a great friend?https://www.springcreekchurch.org/#realspringcreekchurch #community #weneedothers #truthinlove #love #relationships #createdforconnection #friendship #essentialsofspiritualfriendships