Friendships

Friendships are so important and without good ones it's easy to get into places of struggle without having proper support. The people you surround yourselves with truly are so important and I tried to ignore that over and over but after having different friendships with all kinds of people all of which I'm grateful for I learned how friendships do impact you. You start to act like the people you are around and even if you are unaware of yourself changing you do pick up on the things your friends are doing. I hadn't had many Christian friends until I met a girl in one of my running start classes (shoutout to Kaylene love you girl) that brought me to her church group where I then had her and all of these other people who had the same love for Jesus I did. I didn't think it was that big of a deal to be really close with people who didn't have the same beliefs and outlooks on things as me but I realized when I was going through struggles with friendships and I started to read Ephesians that it is important. I was reading in Ephesians 5 verse 7 where it says "Therefore do not be partners with them". Shortly before this verse it was just talking about some of Gods hopes for us with things he doesn't want us to do it says "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these things are improper to God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving." (Ephesians 5: 3-4). This was such a revelation to me because it was very clearly talking about how God doesn't want us to partner with people that are not like minded. I do not in any way think that its not ok to be friends with these people but this just helped me to realize that I might not want to be as close with people like this but get closer to more like minded people to pushed me to get closer to Christ and be a better person overall. I've found surrounding myself with Jesus loving, encouraging people has helped me to grow and be able to get Godly advice when needed and it has made a big difference in my life. Getting sent encouragement with scripture and getting prayer from friends has been such a blessing. Losing friends can be really hard and lonely and it may have been one of the hardest things that I have gone through with feelings of loneliness and sadness, but I can now look at that situation and struggle and see how God has turned that around. I now have so many friends that are encouraging and push me to be a better person and I am so grateful for those people. Sometimes we have to go through a hard thing just for God to show up and give us something better. "The pain you have been feeling can't compare to the joy that is coming." (Romans 8:18). Surround yourself with people that make your soul happy, encourage you, don't make you doubt yourself, make you feel loved and so much more, those are the people that will be there for you through anything. Friendship is important and its ok to distance yourself from people that drain you rather than having balanced support. Don't lower your friendship standards the same way you wouldn't lower your standards for a relationship. God will bless you more than you can even imagine as long as you continue to trust in him and push through the hard times to the joy he has in store. I am so so grateful for the friendships I have been blessed with it was totally worth pushing through my hard times to be given the people I have now.