GODLY FRIENDSHIPS AS ADULTS

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. – Romans 12:10

The foundation of Godly friendships IS God. He is a secure foundation and as long as both women stay on His foundation, they’ll succeed in having a righteous, thriving friendship. If one woman or both step off the foundation of Christ and stand on the “sinking sand of self” – then they’re in trouble.

Here’s some traits of a Godly friend, verses to correspond with these traits are below. These traits are not all done PERFECTLY by every Godly women; we still have our flesh to contend with and “she” can get in the way. These traits are things to strive for with the help of the Spirit. Just remember that apart from Christ, we can do nothing – NOTHING – especially being a good friend.

• She sees her friend(s) as more important than she sees herself.
• She understands that her friend(s) are being Sanctified by Christ too but according to HIS timing and will, not hers.
• She strives to love her friend(s) patiently, kindly, not holding onto wrongs, and with the goal of ultimately growing together in the Lord, for HIS glory.
• She doesn’t keep a record of how much she gives and how much the friend(s) gives. She gives because she is ultimately giving to Christ first.
• She doesn’t support or celebrate sin in her friend(s) life.
• She doesn’t seek support or celebration for sin in her own life.
• She shares (using wise discernment) where she is struggling and asks for prayer and Biblical guidance.
• She prays for her friend(s).
• She grieves with her friend(s), carrying her burdens as well as her own.
• She is quick to forgive, knowing this is not only what God commands but because God has forgiven her everything!
• She is not concerned with giving “the right advice” but the RIGHTEOUS advice – God’s Word.
• She encourages her friend(s) to love their husbands and children as Christ has instructed in His Word.
• She does not gossip or speak unkindly about other women and men to her friend(s). This is sin and she doesn’t want to commit these sins herself or tempt her friend(s) to join her.
• She seeks to serve her friend(s) and doesn’t look for ways to BE served.
• She reaches out and checks in on her friend(s). She doesn’t only give what the friend(s) may be giving. She loves the way she wants to be loved.
• She is a supporter of her friend(s) sanctification and not a hindrance.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. – John 13:34

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. – 1 Peter 4:8

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” – John 13:34-35

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. – Romans 12:10

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. – Galatians 5:13

With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, – Ephesians 4:2

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. – Ephesians 4:32

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. – 1 John 3:16

But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? – 1 John 3:17

Let all that you do be done in love. – 1 Corinthians 16:14

And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you. – 1 Thessalonians 3:12

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works. – Hebrews 10:24

Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. – Romans 13:10

With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. – Ephesians 4:2-3

Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. – Romans 14:13

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. – 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. – Philippians 2:3

Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. – James 4:11

Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. – Colossians 3:13

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. – James 5:16

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. – Proverbs 17:17

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. – Galatians 6:2

Having Godly friends is such a blessing. They will encourage you in being Holy. If you don’t have these kinds of friends in your life, pray for them. The Lord is so kind and He gives to His children what they need, according to His good will and purpose.

Focus on BEING a Godly friend more than having Godly friends. I promise the biggest killer in friendships is THE SELF. Love women in your life as a way of glorifying the King. If we keep this as our focus, we are more likely to deny the flesh “her” selfishness and any temptation to sin in our friendships.

THE KIND OF WOMAN WE ARE TO BE, and to encourage in others, ACCORDING TO TITUS 2

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. ⁴ Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, ⁵ to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. – Titus 2

• be reverent in the way they live
• not to be slanderers 
• not addicted to much wine
• teach what is good
• urging younger women to love their husbands and children
• self-controlled 
• pure
• busy at home
• kind
• subject to their husbands

Again, let’s remember that while we are working out our salvation with fear and trembling, to grow in HOLINESS – we are not striving for PERFECT WORKS as if those things save us or keep us in the Lord. We are fully 100% Justified in Christ – sealed for the day of glory – and we are now being SANCTIFIED. Be patient with one another. Extend grace – the grace of Jesus Christ, KING. LOVE ONE ANOTHER in the journey of our lives here. We’ll be spending eternity together with the King, don’t split over petty issues. Be sober minded and alert – satan will try to separate Godly women. Don’t let him. ❤

 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. ¹⁹ Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. – Ephesians 6:18-20

This post is dedicated to Erica Campbell who is one of the greatest blessings of my life.