What’s Godly Friendship Like?
It’s no secret that relationships can be hard. No one is perfect; you carry your struggles and other people carry theirs. When you live in community with others, you will mutually encounter one another’s challenges. This can be incredibly difficult. As a result, many people conclude that the pursuit of friendship is simply not worth it. It can feel like the cost outweighs the value.
And yet, Scripture teaches, over and over again, the importance of friendship. The Bible is filled with stories of people living in friendship, and the blessings that came from it—just as much as the struggle experienced by those who lived in isolation. God created people to live in friendship with one another. So, what is godly friendship like?
Godly friendship offers affirmation. Do you have friends who remind you who you are and who you belong to? Godly friends remind you that your value and worth are rooted in your God-given identity. These friendships are a tangible expression of God’s love for you.
Godly friendship offers support. No one is strong enough to go it alone. Godly friends offer help, showing up in your time of need, willing to sacrifice, so that you might receive strength. You will not become who God wants you to be without the loving help of others.
Godly friendship offers the truth. Friends speak the truth. They help you see yourself, the world, and God more clearly. Honest accountability and an outside perspective might reveal what you’re missing, and help you turn closer to Jesus.
Choosing others in friendship reflects the kind of love that God has for you. When you live in relationship with others, bearing with them in their struggles as they bear with you in yours, you live out the gospel message: offering grace and forgiveness, in love, even for the undeserving.
1 John 4:11-12 says: “Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us" (NLT).
God uses friendships as the vehicle to deliver affirmation, support, and truth to His people. In friendship, you learn the love of God.
PRAY
God,
Thank You for the gift of friendship. Please help me patiently endure when my friendships feel hard. Give me wisdom to offer Your affirmation, support, and truth when my friends need it. Help me express Your love, and experience its goodness, in my friendships.
Amen.
Dive Deeper
Looking for godly friends? Start by being one! The book of Proverbs has a lot to say about friendship. Read the following verses, and then ask God to show you where you can deepen your friendships in His name.
Proverbs 18:24
Proverbs 17:17
Proverbs 27:6, 9
If you need a new community, or are seeking one dedicated to your walk with Christ, start with the Church. Here are few options at Canyon Ridge:
Group Connection Event Find your people! Learn about the groups available at Canyon Ridge, or start your own. Life is better in community.
Celebrate Recovery Looking for people who are dedicated to your health and spiritual wellbeing? Do you need support in recovery from hurts, habits, or hangups? Gather with others who’ve walked similar journeys, every Friday night.
Volunteer Orientation One of the best ways to meet people is by serving together. Join a team, and get to know some of the faces you walk past every weekend.