Be YouSample

As we’ve looked at the Word of God for truth and insight into how God views friendship, we see that His plan for us is to be part of life-giving, authentic relationships.

So, why can it feel so hard to establish the friendships we crave?

In order to have a good friend, first, we must be one. In Matthew 22:37, Jesus is asked which is the greatest commandment in the Law. His response is clear:

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus not only prioritizes love, but He also tells us here how to love: with all your heart, soul, and mind. In Luke's account of this interaction, he adds the phrase, “and with all your strength.” (Luke 10:27)

Let’s face it, this isn’t always easy to do, especially when we have been wounded in relationships—whether from feeling excluded, by missed expectations, an unequal commitment, or outright betrayal. While our earthly solution to these painful experiences would be to hastily construct walls of self-protection or emotional isolation, heaven has a different solution, and it’s one that simultaneously honors God and one another.

It starts with our own hearts. A clean, clear heart will love from a place of strength and generosity and be able to receive love with joy and without reservation, speculation, calculation, or hesitation.

When we identify areas where healing or forgiveness is needed, it’s not usually a process that happens overnight, and it's important to remember we are all a work in progress. There are great rewards that come with opening ourselves up to this work: joy, freedom, a rich community, and the strength to love and be loved well.

Take time to reflect on your relationships, both past and current. Ask God to reveal situations where you felt hurt in a relationship or where you may have caused hurt.