Have you ever had to engage in an uncomfortable yet essential conversation with a good friend? These are the kind of conversations where the discomfort makes them dreaded, but you just know they are necessary and will require growth from all parties. The Wisdom found in Proverbs teaches us that when we set our hearts on sincerity, love and growth, it is far better than flattery or being left to destructive devices. While confrontation may be difficult, there is such a joy, gratitude and closeness that comes from being loved enough to be corrected.
If you know you need to bring correction to a good friend, be sensitive to the Holy Spirit with regards to the timing, and speak the truth in love. If you are the friend who’s received the correction from a sincere friend, take it before the Lord with an open heart and allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate what needs to be done to bring the change. Either way, be encouraged and grateful to have these difficult conversations, because they can save a soul from potential destruction. Remember this effective way of speaking to others: “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.” (Colossians 4:6 CSB)