Trading unhealthy friendships for true connection
Do you ever feel as though you are sitting on a hill, looking out into the distance and waiting for a connection with others to come into view? As you sit in anticipation, you watch as others live this life, but you feel different.
You WERE Created for Connection
The fact is you were created for deep connections, but life and relationships get messy, and we would rather not get messy again. We get hurt, so we protect our hearts. We trade being authentic for achievement. We limit ourselves to surface relationships, so we don’t suffer heartache. And while acquaintances continue to accumulate, we miss the gift of a deeper walk with a few close friends—the gift of being true to ourselves and inviting others to do the same.
What Does the Bible Say About Friendship?
“A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” —Ecclesiastes 4:12
Let these words wash over your soul… God has designed us to live life together, to be empowered as we anchor our relationships in Him.
Discover True Connection with Authentic FriendshipWhy We Find Ourselves Feeling Lonely
God continues to work in powerful ways to lead us into healthy friendships, but the enemy of our soul begins to pull at another string in our lives. Often that string is an attempt to block authentic, nourishing relationships that will grow you. He uses lies and offers counterfeit friendships that are not healthy connections. Suddenly, our strings get more frayed at the ends, as those insecurities and lies begin to pull apart our perspectives so that we can’t see God’s purpose in friendship.
This means that Satan’s whispering voice in your ear might spout lies such as…
- “You will always be lonely. You are not worthy of a healthy friendship.”
- “Don’t put yourself out there again, you’ll just get rejected.”
- “If you want connection and to build relationships with others, you’ll need to conform, people please, and lose your identity. Don’t be who God created you to be. You have nothing to offer others.”
- “She doesn’t really like you, she’s just telling you what you want to hear.”
- “You don’t really need any friends anyway, you can handle life on your own.”
The enemy feeds you theses lies of defeat to divert you from coming together on the 3-stranded cord, united in Jesus and not easily broken. You might decide to give up, pull away and isolate.
This is my story. Can you relate? On the other side of an unhealthy friendship, I found myself asking God to teach me about authentic connection. I had to lean into God’s truth about friendship to discover boundaries, forgiveness, trust, and vulnerability. Also, during that time God put very special friends in my life who pulled me right out of my shell and showed me what real authentic friendship looks like.
God’s Truth About Healthy Friendship
This is the truth: You can have deep connections ordained by God himself! You are worthy to be loved. To belong. But you must practice . . . you must put yourself out there . . . and you must do it God’s way.
“Healthy biblical friendship doesn’t just happen. It is something we must pursue and practice by taking proactive steps according to God’s principles.” –Aliene Thompson
This is why we created our FREE Authentic Friendship eBook. Authentic Friendship is a seven-part eBook that includes accompanying audio and video teaching messages to guide you step-by-step to find true connection.
Discover True Connection with Authentic FriendshipWhen you download, the Authentic Friendship resource you will:
- Discover God’s principles for practicing healthy friendship.
- Be inspired to pray for God’s divine connections in your life and to gain the ability to recognize authentic healthy friendships.
- Gain wisdom on how to discern unhealthy friendships and then let go, forgive, and set boundaries to focus your emotional energy in a positive direction.
- Find courage to be vulnerable with others in order to create deeper connections.
- Abandon the insecurities that tell you to chase endless shallow friendships and begin to find strength from deep connections.
Are you ready to start sowing seeds today to cultivate those close connections God created you for and to experience life to the fullest?
Here is how you can get started:
1. Download the Authentic Friendship eBook for FREE.
2. Set aside at least one week to work through the eBook, so that you can really reflect on this truth. We suggest reading one part per day. Don’t rush! Take your time.
3. Start sowing seeds of friendship using the action steps inside the eBook and watch authentic connection begin to grow in your life.
No More Lies of Loneliness
Don’t let the enemy of your soul steal the joy of growing together in Christ, and finding the authentic friendship God has ordained just for you.
There is strength in numbers.
“By yourself you’re unprotected.
With a friend you can face the worst.
Can you round up a third?
A three-stranded rope isn’t easily snapped.” —Ecclesiastes 4:12 The Message
There is strength in God’s truth, and he wants you to find friendship he has ordained just for you.
