Helping Friends Deal with Life Issues pt. 1

2019-12-29

If you have friends, then you probably have friends with issues! How can we help our friends experience the abundant life offered by Christ? All the brokenness we carry from Adam (i.e., from being human) can only be healed in Christ. The entrance of God’s word brings light (Ps. 119:130; Ps. 119:105; Eph. 5:11) and illuminates the path! Understanding spiritual darkness and light gives us a framework for helping others understand the underlying causes of their brokenness. When the students in Manthanos//Kairos asked abou...

If you have friends, then you probably have friends with issues! How can we help our friends experience the abundant life offered by Christ?

All the brokenness we carry from Adam (i.e., from being human) can only be healed in Christ. The entrance of God’s word brings light (Ps. 119:130; Ps. 119:105; Eph. 5:11) and illuminates the path! Understanding spiritual darkness and light gives us a framework for helping others understand the underlying causes of their brokenness.

When the students in Manthanos//Kairos asked about helping friends deal with serious issues, I offered some thoughts- presented in the acronym "KALIMBAS."

KALIMBAS:

1. Keep in step with the spirit (Ga. 5:25; Jn. 5:19; 15:5)

2. Address the brokenness of the heart (Pr. 4:23; Jer. 17:9; Ro. 5:12; 3:23-24)

3. Let them take responsibility for themselves (Jn. 14:1; Ph. 4:4-8)

4. I can’t change anybody (Ez. 33:1-6)

5. Mind - Win the war for the mind (Jn. 8:31-32; 2 Cor. 10:5; Ro. 12:2; Ro. 8:6; Is. 26:3)

6. Body - Discipline the body (1 Thes. 4:4; 1 Cor. 9:27)

7. Alert - Stay alert! I must watch myself (1 Cor. 15:33; Ga. 6:1; 1 Tim. 4:16; Lu. 21:34; Pr.16:18 )

8. Support, but separate when needed (Jn. 6:66; 1 Cor. 5:9-13; Ga. 6:2)

There may be times when we're trying to help others that we ourselves need to ask for help. We shouldn't hesitate in such cases to get others involved. God made us a Body so we could support one another (Ga. 6:2)!

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