God in Friendships

For this devotional, I collaborated with my good friend Brittany Jones.  She is my roommate at college, and also my friend of 8 memorable years and counting.  I am so blessed to have a friend willing to do a devotional post with me!  We decided to discuss the importance of God in all friendships.  Personally speaking, we have made sure to place The Lord first in not only our separate lives, but also our friendship.  So, here is our devotional!

Keeping Each Other in Check

Proverbs 19:20 Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.

Ecclesiastes 4:9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor.

      One thing we are extremely grateful for is that we both remind each other to continuously trust God throughout life.  For example, when one of us is facing a trial in life, the other constantly gives advice, such as to pray or to spend time with God.  College comes with occasional stress, and having a friend that loves God is such a wonderful way to stay focused on His plan for you.  Furthermore, having a companion that is grounded with the Word of God provides a source of discipline.  By surrounding ourselves with people of Godly values, we have given ourselves the chance to become stronger and wiser Christians.

Gossip

Proverbs 11:13 A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.

      Gossip can ruin even the best of friendships.  Over the years, we have both discovered that being honest with each other makes our relationship grow.  Occasionally, believe it or not, Savannah gets on Brittany’s nerves and vice versa.  While it seems easier to speak terribly of the other person to another acquaintance, the best way to solve problems in any friendship is honesty.  In addition, gossiping about other individuals with your friend can eventually tear apart your friendship.  Instead, speak positively of others and encourage not only your friend, but also people around you. 

Love Each Other

1 Corinthians 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love.

      Of course, loving your friend is an obvious requirement for a friendship.  However, putting God in the middle of your friendship is the absolute greatest way to show love.  Praying for each other and doing devotionals together builds our friendship.  Not only are we developing a deeper friendship, but we are also intensifying our desire for Christ.  Continuously pray that your friend follows God’s path for their life.  Show love to your friend through your life of Christ.