Love Life Again - Finding Joy When Life Is HardSample

Be a Friend  

Over a decade ago, I attended one of my first Christian women’s conferences. I met a lot of new people, had some stimulating conversations, laughed a lot, and was spiritually fed. My heart was full, but not for the reasons you might think.

One of the speakers shared a powerful message laced with Scripture and encouragement about life, relationships, and faith. But it was her three-word challenge at the end of her talk that got my attention. It was simply this: pray for friends.

Huh? I had never thought about praying for friends before, even though I longed for them every day. It seemed like a petty, self-centered request – one that paled in comparison with all the things my family and I needed prayer for, not to mention all the things the whole wide world needed prayer for.

But when this sweet woman of God encouraged and challenged us to pray for God to bring friends into our lives, not only to help conquer loneliness but also to enrich our lives, I realized the truth: women need friends, yet many of us don’t have them.

Friendships don’t happen without effort, and anything worth having is worth investing time and heart in. Truly good friends – the type of friends who warm your heart and make life full – do not usually just drop into our lives accidentally. Instead, they are often answers to prayer. They are gifts from God and treasures we can enjoy – all we have to do is ask.

Sometimes we have to step outside our comfort zones so God can bring friends into our lives. We have to get out of the house and go where there are women who have the potential to become good friends. We have to make a move to achieve what our hearts desire.

We often sit around and wait for God to answer our prayers, rather than being willing to take a leap of faith and be instrumental in having those prayers answered. We don’t want to move outside our comfort zones, even if good things might come of it. We do the same things we’ve always done, expecting God to miraculously create a different result. But if we keep waiting, doing nothing except wishing we had some friends, we may remain friendless. Why? Because sometimes God moves only when we move. Stepping out in faith invites God to step in.

Bottom line: step outside your comfort zone and start being the friend you want to have.

The important things in life, including close friendships, require an investment of time, heart, perseverance, and trust in God. Trust God has a perfect plan for you when it comes to your need for close friends. Just think…there is a woman out there right now who is praying for a friend like you.