We all have friends and then we really HAVE friends. Some friends are just acquaintances while others can be as close as (or closer than) family. Too often in our churches today, fellow church members are typically more like acquaintances rather than friends. As a group of believers, I wonder if we are forming the deep relationships that we need.
Scripture tells us we are to be one body. We’re supposed to be mutually supportive of each other. We can’t do it all alone, meaning we need our Christian brothers and sisters. While we know this and we say this, if we examine our relationships within the church and in our ministries, most of us do not have deep rooted spiritual friendships.
"As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul." – 1 Samuel 18:1-3, ESV
If we would consider who we are actually knit to, like Jonathan and David were, we might consider more carefully who we call friend.
We all need friends who will hold us accountable and we need friends who will help restore us when we fail. Friends who are mere acquaintances and not of like faith cannot and will not do this. This is why we need godly friends who we intimately know and have a relationship with.
God said "ask and you will receive", sometimes we don't have godly friendships because we are not seeking. Look inwardly and consider who you are becoming knit to ... are they bringing you closer to God and more importantly are you the godly friend that brings them closer to God?
It's my prayer that we can love one another as one body and become knitted together with cords that cannot be broken; developing deep friendships that grow because of the grace of God. May God be the very foundation of every good friendship.
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