Rick Warren's Blog, page 525

What Forgiveness Really Is

Forgiveness may be the most misused, misapplied, and misunderstood quality in our culture. We think we know what forgiveness is all about, but we really don���t.

Restoring Relationships: Reconciliation, Not Always Resolution

The seventh biblical step toward restoring a relationship is to emphasize reconciliation, not resolution.

It's unrealistic to expect everyone to agree about everything. Reconciliation focuses on the relationship, while resolution focuses on the problem. When we focus on reconciliation, the problem loses significance and often becomes irrelevant.

Restoring Relationships: The Price of Peacemaking Is Our Pride

The sixth biblical step toward restoring a relationship is to cooperate as much as possible.

Peace always has a price tag. Sometimes it costs our pride; it often costs our self-centeredness.

Restoring Relationships: Fix the Problem, not the Blame

The fifth biblical step toward restoring a relationship is to attack the problem, not the person. You cannot fix the problem if you're consumed with fixing the blame. You must choose between the two.

Restoring Relationships: Defuse Anger with Confession

The fourth biblical step toward restoring a relationship is to confess your part of the conflict.

If you���re serious about restoring a relationship, begin with admitting your own mistakes or sin.

Restoring Relationships: Use Your Ears More Than Your Mouth

The third biblical step toward restoring a relationship is to sympathize with the other person's feelings.

Use your ears more than your mouth. Before attempting to solve any disagreement, you must first listen to the other person's feelings.

Restoring Relationships: Take the Initiative

The second biblical step toward restoring a relationship is to take the initiative.

Whether you are the offender or the offended, God expects you to make the first move. Don't wait for the other party. Go to that person first.

Restoring Relationships: First Talk to God

The first biblical step toward restoring a relationship is to talk to God before talking to the person.

Discuss the problem with God. If you'll pray about the conflict first instead of gossiping to a friend, you'll often discover that either God changes your heart or he changes the other person without your help.

Relationships Are Worth Restoring

Relationships are always worth restoring.

Life is all about learning how to love, and God wants us to value relationships and make every effort to maintain them instead of discarding them whenever there is a rift, a hurt, or a conflict.

While You���re Working on Your Goals, God Is Working on You

Yesterday we started talking about reasons why you need to set some goals. Today we���re going to talk about three more reasons why goal setting is so important that even Jesus set goals for himself.