Daily Delight
Do you long for real, deep, Christ-centered friendships? Or wish to strengthen existing ones?
Sweet sister, you are not alone. You were created to be in relationship and community with other people. Take a look at Proverbs 17:17, 18:24, 25:20, and 27:5-6.Two of the attributes at the heart of friendship are commitment and vulnerability. We should be seeking people who we can commit ourselves to, not who we can get the most out of.To have the close friendships you desire, you must be willing to be vulnerable. This means that you are able to be wounded by their wounds (Proverbs 25:20) and willing to move into someone else’s pain/hurt. A true friend is willing to be vulnerable in confrontation because true friends say hard things, not for retribution but for restoration. (Proverbs 27:6) They are willing to risk the friendship for the good of their friends. If you are unwilling to speak the truth—even when things are hard—you are no longer a friend,but an enemy. Lastly, true friends are able to be wounded by confession. (James 5:16) In real friendship you are able to let down your guard and actually let friends in to see your fears, failures, joys, and successes.
True friendship can be scary, but because of the gospel we are freed to be good friends to the people that God has placed in our life. (John 15) We have the perfect mirror for friendships in Christ, because he entered into the perfect friendship with us. (John 11) We see beautiful examples of true friendship when Jesus weeps with Mary and Martha at Lazarus’ death. Why did he weep? Because he knew what it meant to enter into someone’s grief.
Jesus was a man of sorrows. (Isaiah 53:3) He was well acquainted with grief.
We will not be good friends to others until we begin to enjoy our friendship with Jesus, the deep and abiding costly friendship that he paid for on the cross.Do you enjoy Christ’s friendship in that way? How can you serve the people that the Lord has placed in your life well?
About the Author
Caroline Medlin
Caroline is a 22 year old who is currently wrapping up her undergrad degree in Public Relations and Graphic Design. Originally from Atlanta, GA, she currently lives in a suburb of Nashville, Tennessee. She firmly believes that we grow by beholding the glory of Jesus through studying His Word and is deeply passionate about seeing women grow deeper in their love for the Lord by teaching them to grow deeper in their knowledge of God.Caroline loves intentional conversations, studying theology, being barefoot and anything on the water. In her free time you can find her with watercolors, an old book or hiking mountains with her Australian Shepherd, Jack, fondly named after Laura Ingall Wilder's dog.
Ephesians 2:13 and Isaiah 53:5 have become two verses she goes back to often in he walk with the Lord. They sum up the beauty of the Gospel and is a faithful reminder of who I am in Christ because of the cross! Isaiah 53:5, "But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed." Ephesians 2:13, "But now in Christ Jesus you who were once far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ."