Friendship.
Just the word can bring on a torrid of emotions both positive and not-so-positive.
Friends that lift you up. Friends that have carried you. Friends that encourage, equip, love.
Friendships that ended in conflict. Hurt. Anger.
Friendships fall under the umbrella of “relationships” and where there is relationship, there is beauty.
However, the complexity of relationships also lends itself to a guarantee of times in which your friendships might experience some rough-terrain, a time in which you wonder if it’s even possible to sustain that relationship or simply release it to God and move forward if you know your actions have been pleasing to Him and are still met with disdain. There are indeed times when it is for your own benefit and health to choose the latter.
What does the Bible say about friendship?
8 There was a man all alone;
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
“and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless—
a miserable business!
9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
10 If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. – Ecclesiastes 4:8-12
A friend lifts you up and sometimes you will be called to lift him/her up, too.
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. – Proverbs 27:17
A friend forces us to grow, to think, and to walk closer to Him.
Friends always show their love. What are {sisters} for if not to share troubles? – Proverbs 17:17
A friend shows love. No matter what. A friend also trusts and confides in one another.
Some friendships do not last, but some friends are more loyal than {sisters}. – Proverbs 18:24
A friend is loyal. Period.
An honest answer is the sign of true friendship. – Proverbs 24:26
An open rebuke is better than hidden love! Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy. – Proverbs 27:5-6
A friend shares the truth with love and compassion – even when it hurts. Even when you don’t like what he/she has to say.
The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray. – Proverbs 16:28
The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense. – Proverbs 27:9
A friend offers wise counsel based on Biblical truth.
David and Jonathan. Ruth and Naomi. Elijah and Elisha. Friendship is a gift from Him and like any gift He has granted, we are called to handle it with great care. Our conduct within our friendships is of the utmost of importance and yet can still leave us feeling as if there is a large space of “gray area” that is the “no-man’s land” of relationships. What about those times when we are called to speak a hard truth in love? What about those times when we are called to listen so we may grow?
Now that we know what the Bible tells us friendship should be (and yes, I realize there are many other scriptures I have missed), let’s dig a bit deeper on Thursday and explore what this looks like with “skin on it” – in other words, what these scriptures look like in living color. I hope you will join me!
In the meantime, how about joining those sisters at the Soli Deo Gloria Sisterhood? Jen is our fantabulous hostess at “Finding Heaven” and we love her for it…
Beautiful post Friend ;) I love all the Word you use to show us what friendship should and should not be. I was reading a book today and the author mentions some of the friendships in the Word and it made me ponder them and want to dig a little deeper. I am going to love this series!
Friendship….this is an area where the Lord has just showered me with such amazing friendships. I am so grateful to Him for this. There is nothing like a friend or to be a friend. Jesus is a friend and He gives good gifts in friendship. I am blessed. I love this post! I am copying it and sending it to a special friend!
I would be so lost without my friendships. Thank your for this beautiful post on how to be a good friend.
First, I just have to say that your last line about loving me really blessed my heart. I am so glad that we found each other, separated by physical miles, but just a heartbeat away in His spirit. You are a blessing.
I’m excited about your new series. I got behind on blog visiting on Friday, so I need to go listen to your vlog from Friday. yay!
God ordained friendship…such a blessing. I want to strive to be a true friend. Like the friend that sticks closer than a brother.
Love it! Friendship is most definitely a gift from the Lord when it follows Godly principles. I am blessed to count several women as true friends.
“let’s dig a bit deeper on Thursday and explore what this looks like with “skin on it” – in other words, what these scriptures look like in living color.”
You have successfully reeled me in. Can’t wait to envision it :)
friends are gifts and I am so thankful for them today!
xo
This post spoke to my heart today…. I have recently had to end a friendship and it was sad for me, but I know it was the right thing to do. Reading your post was affirming – I hope you don’t mind if I send people your way in a blog post I will write later in the week… I think we all can benefit from what you have to say about friendship.
Many Blessings –
Mary
Such a great and important, fun and tough topic. Thanks for sharing.
fondly,
Glenda
Friendship…a relationship with two fallen people in a fallen world. Your words are so true…yet no one can be the perfect friend….friendship boils down to the ability to forgive and reconcile when one offends/betrays the other. We all want friends. We all want to be a good friend…but we are not always….a good friend…which is why so much is written in the Bible about it, I believe….I am a good friend sometimes and a bad friend at others. My true friends are the ones who love me, forgive me…and help me…and I do the same for them. Can’t wait to read more of your series!
I’m not sure where I would be if it weren’t for a handful of important friends. People who believed, encouraged, supported, and pushed.
Can’t wait to read more of your series.
I love that you just take this to the Word–I’m excited to see where you will go with it on Thursday…
We were just going through accountability at my small group tonight in response to ‘Made to Crave’…it’s hard to love on the level of the hard things, but we are called to it…
thanks for your heart!
and p.s. did you get my e-mail with the post I sent? I’m really not sure if it’s right for here, but wanted your opinion–nothing bad, just another thing might bless more…anyhow, no worries PLEASE if you just didn’t get to it–I just wanted to make sure you got it! sending love:)