Sorry Not SorryNäide

One of the greatest gifts in life is having the kind of friend who knows you from the inside out. A friend who can interpret your bad moods, calm you down when you’re in difficult situations, and help you see reason when anger has you seeing nothing but frustration. A friend like that knows you at your best… and your worst! In the same way, they have an uncanny ability to know what you’re thinking; they also have the unique perspective to understand the best ways to push your buttons. They know how to get a rise out of you, intentional or not. I’m sure there’s been at least one time in your life when a close friend ended up saying exactly the wrong thing at the wrong time.

See, when we know how to push each other’s buttons, any sort of misstep feels like a betrayal. But what would it look like to take a deep breath in those moments before we respond? To maybe take a step back from one another and pause? If it’s a friendship worth keeping, Scripture tells us that the better way to respond is with grace. Imagine how much better your relationships would be if you chose grace over grudges in big and small ways!

This week, what are some reminders or habits that you can put in place to remind yourself to pause and take a breath when someone pushes your buttons?