6 Ways to Become a Better Friend

As mentioned in my first blog post, I have some pretty great friends. And that is so true. All of my friends are extremely important to me, and each of them play such a distinct role in my life. There are some friends that I am closer with than others, and I believe that intimacy with those friends has grown as a result of true Biblical friendship. The Bible stresses real friendships   they help us in so many ways! Here are just a few verses in which the Word of God addresses friendship:

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
"Two people are better than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble."

Proverbs 27:17 is short, simple, and to the point. It's a great verse to memorize!
"As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend."

Proverbs 13:20 
"Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble."

I love these verses. Not only do they show the importance of friendship in itself, but also show the importance of the type of friends we have. 

While it is important for us to be aware of those that we hang around, we also have to be aware of the type of friend that we ourselves are being. Here are some simple ways to become a better friend and form a Godly relationship with others:

1. Listen
Listening is extremely important in any relationship we have; how can we know each others' troubles and thoughts without actually listening to them? You'd be surprised how much you can learn about a person by just listening to what they have to say.

2. Throw Away Your Pride
There's one thing that I think hinders most friendships   jealousy. When you feel any tinge of jealousy come over you, I encourage you to pray and repent to God. He hears you. He feels you. He can help you with whatever insecurity you're going through. And He wants to help you with jealousy in your friendships too.

3. Talk About God
God is so glorious and so greatly to be praised. Instead of spending your time gossiping or talking about irrelevant things with your friends, talk about God. I promise that time spent talking about God will not be wasted.

4. Be Encouraging
As mentioned in the Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 verses, one of the reasons God loves friendship is because it can help a person stay afloat. That being said, we must be encouraging. Discouraging thoughts fill the world today, and encouragement is scarce. Encourage your friends. Help them not only when they're down, but at all times.

5. Sacrifice
Whether it is sacrificing time or sacrificing being able to go to the place you want to, sacrifice is big in friendships. Sacrifice lets your friend know that they are more important than other things in this world that call for your attention. After all, people matter more than any worldly thing. In John 15:12-13, Jesus says, "This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends." Jesus gave the biggest sacrifice ever to us. He laid his life down for you. It will mean so much to your friend to sacrifice one thing for them.

6. Random Acts of Kindness
Leave a note in an unexpected place for them to read. You have to power to make someone's day better, so why not use that power? Your friendship will improve greatly by practicing small random acts of kindness.

This week, I challenge you to become a better friend. You may already be an awesome friend, but there is always room for improvement. Pray that the Lord will convict you in any area that you have been slacking. Pray that He will guide you to be a better friend and that He will help you choose the right friends. Pray that our friendships will not only be for ourselves, but also that they will be all for His glory. 

~em

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