Friendship
WHO ARE YOU? We spend so much of our time asking and answering that question, with our words and our actions. You may sit and wonder, “Is my life important?” Or “Does anybody really care about me?” You may be struggling with loneliness and feeling like you are the only one who does not have good friends. Let me tell you a secret… so are most people! Both young and old, people are lonely. We all worry if we are cool enough, fit enough, successful enough, pretty enough… the list goes on… You are not alone. The trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, has always been and will always be. They, the trinity, have enjoyed a Divine friendship with one another that is beyond our understanding. The Lord looks at you with love and affection. He looks at me with love and affection.
As God created us in his image, we likewise are made for friendship. Our greatest desire is for a relationship with God, and we often spend so much time trying to fulfill this need for Him with other things, such as popularity and success. Friendship can often be hard when we put unrealistic expectations on those in our life, trying to make them meet our emotional needs that only the Lord can meet. Friendship can be one of the biggest blessings in our life and one of the biggest stress factors.
All friendships take work. There is no perfect friendship, just like there is no perfect friend. People disappoint us, just like we disappoint other people. I do not know about you, but I do not want my friends and family to expect perfection out of me because that will only leave them disappointed. My old pastor often said, “Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future”. As I tell my own kids, we are to love all people, but we can choose those whom we spend the majority of our free time with. “There are ‘friends’ who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.” - Proverbs 18:24
Friendship is one of the Lord’s greatest blessings in our lives. To be truly known by a friend and loved and accepted for who you are is invaluable! I encourage you to find friends that care about you and love the Lord. The pain of feeling left out and unwanted is unlike any other. If I did a poll in your school cafeteria, I guarantee that close to 100% of people have experienced the pain of rejection and exclusion at some point, even those that you least expect. I encourage you today to find friends who show you they want to be around you. I promise that there is someone else out there longing for real, genuine friends who would be excited to have an invite to do something. I repeat - Find friends who show you they want to be your friend.
“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” - Proverbs 14:12
“Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.” -Proverbs 13:20
Remember… the friends you choose today, help determine who you will be tomorrow. At the moment, certain choices might seem alluring and good but can lead to destruction. Your relationship with God matters and is the only thing that will last for eternity. Treating others with true kindness and love matters. I encourage you to choose your friends wisely and know that the Lord will never leave you or forsake you. This year at the W.A.Y. Summit, we will spend more time talking about friendship. I hope to see you there!