There’s a constant theme lurking in the background of relationships in America. You hear it in music, in conversations on the playground, and sometimes even at church. Have you heard it? People all over are latching onto the idea of NO NEW FRIENDS!
No new friends? Sounds pretty harmless, right? I mean, in my 30 years of life I think I’ve gotten pretty good at this friend thing and my circle is tight! For the most part, I have learned how to separate the real friends from the fake ones, and the friends I have are GOOD. And at the end of the day, my husband and I are literally best friends. So to be honest, sometimes I feel it too and wonder: Do I really need any new ones? Messing with a good thing can be pretty risky if you ask me!
Well hate to break it to you (and myself) but the answer is YES! You do need to constantly be growing and changing and adding new people into your circle. Am I saying to ditch your current friends? Nope! I am also not saying that you need to make every person you meet from this day forward your best friend. What I am saying is that God created each one of us, you and me, to crave relationship and to be IN relationship with other people. If you decide to go it alone, there is a chance you could end up directly OUTSIDE God’s will for you when it comes to others.
Don’t believe me? Well even Jesus had friends. He had an entire crew of disciples who walked side by side in ministry with him, healing the sick and raising the dead. They crossed oceans and valleys and plains together, waging war against demons and comforting widows in their grief. And I bet they saw the absolute best and worst of each other. Do you think that Jesus found his tribe because He didn’t think he could do the holy work alone? Of course not! His Holiness was never dependent on the disciples’ obedience in following Him. But since He was both fully human and fully God, Jesus recognized the importance of being in relationship with other believers.
And I get it. Sometimes friendships are just plain HARD. We all have had people we thought were friends whom we trusted, but they still let us down. But that doesn’t give us a license to write off friendships forever! And no relationship is ever perfect anyway. Jesus, who actually WAS perfect, was betrayed to the point of death by someone who was supposed to be his friend. And his relationship with Peter? Well Peter was his best friend and literally denied ever having known him, not once but three times in a matter of hours!
So what does this mean for you and me? It means that since we are human and were designed for relationships, then it is crucial we give friendships, and other relationships, their proper focus in our lives. May we find true friends, help them grow, and let them grow US! The Bible says we should, and that’s good enough for me. So today, I want to share the 9 Bible Verses to Encourage You In Your Friendships. (New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.)
1. Proverbs 27:9
“The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.”
2. Galatians 6:2
“Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.”
3. Proverbs 27:17
“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.”
4. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.”
5. John 15:13
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
6. Proverbs 17:17
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”
7. Psalm 133:1
“How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony!”
8. Romans 12:9-10
“Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.”
9. Hebrews 10:25
“And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”
My prayer is that these gentle reminders from Scripture can encourage us to all be better in our friendships each and every day!
Thanks for sharing such a timely word! God has really been impressing on my heart to cultivate the different relationships he’s put in my life.
Thanks friend! Having good friends like you in my life means so much to me!
We all need to help one another. Friendship is so important.
It is! Friendship is everything to me. Thanks for sharing!
I have a really good friends that I have had from childhood, but I always open the door for new ones too. Sometimes we don’t know why God places certain people in our lives. I like to think of my friends as an extension of my family. Good post!!!
I agree! God puts everybody in our lives for a reason. And some friends are definitely here to stay. Love you!