Friends R UsChikamu

Friendstagram

Social Media is a good way to stay up to date on activities of friends and family. Now this is not a devotional to tell you that social media is bad or good. However, in the context of friendship, social media often has a way of revealing what is in our hearts. Have you ever glanced at a friend’s post and thought to yourself, “how did they get that?” or “why didn’t this happen to me?” These small comparisons can invite jealousy and envy into our hearts. 

The state of our heart is important in friendship. It is difficult to be jealous or envious of someone, and continue to have a genuine friendship with them. Eventually, these feelings will seep into the friendship and potentially ruin it. Therefore, it is crucial for us to guard our hearts. 

In Exodus 20:17, we are commanded by God not to covet anything that belongs to our neighbor. What Social media does is put the “thing” you may covet 6 inches from your face and says, “don’t you want this?” Then, we think about what we have or don’t have in comparison to our friends. Comparison then causes division, and creates a space for the enemy to sabotage our friendship(s). But… what if we made a conscious effort to celebrate with our friends and encourage them, instead of coveting what they have? What if we thought of ways to show our support for whatever achievement(s) they share? It is possible! By liking their status or photo and writing a heartfelt comment, we are able to refuse covetousness in the moment and choose celebration! 

So, next time you see a post that causes jealousy or envy to enter your heart, pause and ask God to remove those feelings from your heart. After you pray,  shame the devil by celebrating your friend(s)! Lastly,  always examine the state of your heart. Always protect your friendships by combating those negative thoughts and feelings with the word of God and prayer. Remember, your friends are not your competition— you all are on the same team! 

Written by Jamaal Diggins and Shammrie Brown