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I take my daughter to dance every week. All of us moms and a few dads cram into the lounge as we wait.
Of the group, there are a some women who have been friends for a few years. They coordinate their daughter’s dance classes so that they can have time together. I usually am busy planning or writing for the blog so I try not to overhear conversations but sometimes they are hard to miss.
I’ve realized a pattern that takes place when one of the women is absent. The topics of conversation changes significantly. When she is present the conversation tends to be inappropriate for children’s ears. And most of the friend group participates.
I’m not writing about this situation to be catty or gossipy but to illustrate a point.
We can be easily led astray by individuals if we are not careful. Or we can be the ones leading others astray.
This is especially true with friendships.
Our friends are important to us. They are our sounding boards, supporters, encouragers, comforters, and cheerleaders.
We rely on our friends (this is especially true in female friendships) to help us out and build us up. In the book, Becoming Myself by Staci Eledredge, she has a whole chapter on the pressures we place on our friends.
We can rely too heavily on our friends and at times we can allow them to pull us down. Or we can be the ones pulling them down.
God created us as relational people. We have an innate desire to connect and be with others.
But as with all things we can stray away from God’s design. We can become selfish in our relationships and misuse our friends. When we become aware of our missteps it is important that we right our wrongs.
In our world of technology the understanding of relationships has become skewed. We can have many acquaintances that we interact and communicate with but that doesn’t count as a friend.
Friends are people that you bring into your life and share your thoughts, emotions, dreams, and pain. They hold an intimate part of your heart. They can’t be all things for you or you for them. But they are there for you when you need them most.
So be intentional on who you allow to hold such a special role in your life.
Take the time to read the below bible scriptures and truly focus on what they are saying to you. Some passages may touch you differently than others. Writing down the verses in your own hand is helpful for some individuals. Possibly looking up the verses in your own bible may be beneficial. I use a NIV bible translation. Or reading them over and over to commit to memory. Whatever method works best for you to experience God’s words and feel closer to Him.
John 15:13
1 Corinthians 15:33
Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
Proverbs 13:20
Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.
Proverbs 28:23
Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor rather than one who has a flattering tongue.
Proverbs 14:7
Stay away from a fool, for you will not find knowledge on their lips.
Proverbs 22:24
Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered,
Proverbs 27:17
Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.
A blogging friend over at ohlordhelp.us just recently wrote a post on friendships that I found to be great reminders. Take the time to read it by clicking on the link and be blessed like I was!
I pray these verses encourage you to surround yourself with positive friends and cultivate positive friendships.
God bless!
Melissa
God bless you for this I have been recently thinking about this friend that I should cut ties with because he is such a bad influence in my thinking and I always tend to think more negatively when I am with him.
Anyone who leads you away from God and His principles shouldn’t hold a place of importance in your life. Cutting ties can be hard but who do you want to glorify? Philippians 4:13! God bless, Jackie!
I’ve always disliked being with people who talk bad about others. When I’m not there, do they talk bad about me, too? I try to be a friend that uplifts those around me and inspires hope.
My thoughts and concerns to, Susan! Those are awesome aspirations to strive for! Thank you for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. God bless!
Thank you for the reminder of the influence we have in our friendships.
Your welcome. It is a powerful and influential role we play! Thank you for stopping by and commenting. God bless!
Proverbs 13:20 really spoke to me! I want to be among the wise, making wise choices and following in God in all things. Thank you for giving such great sound advice about friendships.
That one stuck out to me as well and I can look back on my life and realize times when I have not followed this verse and harm took place. Thank you for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. God bless!
Thank you for this post and the verses! I was in a growing friendship with a woman but she made me feel competitive and shame. So I had to distance myself from her.
She wasn’t bringing goods things into my life!
I’ve had a few of those, too. I’m not proud of who I allowed myself to be in those situations so I have created certain boundaries and hard lines so I don’t let myself fall into negative behaviors and patterns due to friendships. Thank you for reading and sharing your situation. God bless!
This is so true. As I age, I no longer seek friendship for friendship’s sake. I need to be equally yoked for real and deep friendship.
And the process of seeking an equally yoked friendship can be a bit frustrating and/or overwhelming!
This is such a great, practical post, with lots of great Scripture to hold on to. It encourages me to pray up friendships more, not just for myself but for my kids too.
Thank you Sarah. We allow our friends to hold an important place in our lives and hearts. It really is important that they are as God-loving. Thank you for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. God bless!
I so agree with this. I want to uplift and journey my Christian walk with women who are like-minded, following Jesus so we can grow in our faith together.
This sounds amazing, right?! Thank you for stopping by and commenting! God bless!