Is that your view of friendship?
Many times we want the benefit of friendships but don’t want the hassle of making them work.
Why is friendship important anyway?
It’s all too tempting to avoid keeping up with friends. Don’t even mention starting new friendships.
In an increasingly disconnected world, making those deep connections can feel like a daunting task.
But, what if we paused for a moment to consider the benefits of friendship?
Spiritual benefits
First of all, I’m convinced that God didn’t mean for us to do life alone.
In the New Testament, Jesus had a way of sending his disciples out two by two. He knew they needed the support and encouragement that comes from walking side by side with one another.
And think of all the one another scriptures in the Bible. Clearly, God had something beautiful in mind when He placed us in community with each other.
We are to…
….offer hospitality to one another
and so on.
Not because these are rules, but because they are mutually beneficial.
Tweet This
Physical, Social and Psychological benefits
Secondly, research shows that having meaningful friendships benefit our physical health and overall well being.
When friends were a source of support, people were happier according to a recent study reported in Time Magazine. An earlier NY Times article shared the findings of another study stating:
Still have your doubts?
Even though the facts are in favor of friendships, you might still have some reservations.
You might be asking, ‘why is friendship important when no one seems to care?’ or ‘why is friendship important when everyone’s so busy?’
Be careful not to buy into the enemy’s lies.
Sure, many people are busy but the truth is, many are also craving connection and just don’t know where to begin. Don’t you feel that way sometimes?
Oftentimes we mean well, but maintaining friendships can (sadly) feel like another item on our already full to-do lists. It’s easier to escape into a virtual world, than get out into the real world.
If you’re stumped about where to get started, here are some recent posts about friendships and building community that I really enjoyed. I pray they bless you.
Practical Tips for Making Friends and Building Community
How to Cultivate Community One Cup at a Time
By Kim Turner McCulley
Building community doesn’t have to be complicated, fussy or over the top. Kim shows us how by providing some practical ideas, starting with one cup of tea.
The Best Way to Choose Friends and Protect Your Heart
By Deb Wolf
In this post Deb shares her tips based on research, Scriptures, and past experiences — in other words, she did the homework for you. So, if you want to know how to choose friends, she’s got you covered.
Holy Badgering: Will You Pursue?
By Sue Donaldson
If you’ve ever invited someone into friendship and didn’t get a response, this one will give you hope. Sometimes the reason behind their silence might surprise you.
Christian Hospitality: 10 Ways to Love Your Neighbor
By Dawn Klinge
Let’s bring it a little closer home. As Dawn reminds us, “hospitality is more of an attitude of the heart than anything else.” So, how’s your heart, friend?
Why You Will Thrive in Community
By Kelly R. Baker
Just recently, Kelly and friends launched a new community space for Christian bloggers called Blogger Voices Network. In her introduction, Kelly said:
We need to keep our blog as an offering for God’s glory, and not allow comparison to divide us.”
If her words resonate with you and you’re ready to step into community with bloggers like you, then pay Kelly a visit.
Don’t Knock Online Friendships
I hope you know that none of this is meant to belittle online friendships. In fact, social media can be a useful tool to connect us with friends near and far.
Since I started blogging a couple years ago I’ve met some of my dearest friends online. A small group of us pursued deeper connections beyond the screen and met in person for a mini-retreat. God brought us together in my friend Lori’s home to enjoy a time of refreshing that only He could have orchestrated.
This small group of blogging friends have become very dear to me. As a matter of fact, be sure to stop by next week when I will host a few of them for our second annual Summer Sizzle Blog Series. During June and July nine of us will feature our favorite, top-rated posts on each other’s sites. Each Tuesday morning you will find a new Summer Sizzle friend here, so don’t miss it.
How about you?
Why is friendship important to you? Do you have some tips about cultivating and maintaining friendships that you’d like to share in the comments? I’m all ears!
Wishing you blessings,
If you enjoyed this post, please spread the shine and share this with your friends using the share buttons below.
And if you’re looking for more encouraging and inspiring content, check out these amazing sites where I link up my weekly posts.
Hi Marva, I wanted to let you know I chose to feature your post today on Grace & Truth LInk=Up.
Thanks for sharing these thoughts and insights about friendship.
Unfortunately, I am in a season of very few friends despite my best efforts. My daughter and I were just talking today about how much social medial, the internet and smartphones are destroying all relationships, not just friendships.
May the Lord move His people to be different and to be in community with one another, not with their phones…
This is timely for me, as I’ve just begun reading “Just Show Up,” by Kara Tippetts and Jill Buteyn. It’s causing me to look at my friendships and the unique blessings that each one brings. Thanks for these beautiful thoughts here. Blessings to you!
I couldn’t do like without my friendships. Just a minute ago I received an encouraging text with words my heart desperately needed to hear. It was the gentle push I needed in my parenting.
Love your post! Thank you for sharing it with all of us at Grace & Truth Christian Link-Up.
Thanks for including our online friendships in here too, Marva! They have been an important part of my spiritual growth that I could never have imagined when I started out blogging. Blessings to you!
I don’t think we’ll ever come to the end of our lives and say, “I wish I hadn’t had so many friends!”
I love the relationships here in the blogging world as well as my real life friends with skin on!
And I’m blessed to be married to my dearest companion!
Friendship has always been super important to me. I’d like to think I’m a friendly woman and I’ve been told I am, however, cultivating friendships with women has always and continues to be a challenge. I will continue to seek God for wisdom in this area and ask him to send a few great women into my space and align my path with those women so that we recognize each other. We were not meant to do life alone. That is not a part of God’s plan for any of his children.
A mutually encouraging and challenging community is part of God’s grand design for His creation! As an Army wife, we move around every couple of years and many of the younger spouses arrive at new duty stations thinking they have hundreds of friends (because duh – facebook) but when the babies get sick at 2 am or you get a flat tire, they realize they have nobody to call. We need in person people! Love your thoughts and this power-packed round up! Blessings!
I love the verse in Scripture that says “iron sharpens iron.” I believe Christian women do that for one another. We need each other to share our struggles, pray together, and just fellowship. We need to laugh with someone, because laughter is good medicine.
Wonderful post, Marva. I carve out time to meet with my small group most months of the year. Yes, it requires work to meet with them, but the face-to-face time is priceless! You’ve made excellent points, and I’m sharing this on Twitter and Pinterest. Blessings to you!
Wonderful post on the importance of authentic friendships. I blog about authentic connection and plan to share this post for others to enjoy. Thank you!
I do value my friendships very much, but reading this makes me realize I need to work at cultivating them more.
Thank you for the encouraging words and for recommending some great resources!
So glad to hear how much you value your friendships and I hope this has been an encouragement to you.
I for one am grateful for the community spirit you foster in your online space at Apron Strings & Other Things — I have a feeling your offline friendships benefit even more!
Blessings to you, Linda.
Great post!
Friendships are very important, they do take love & cultivation though like a garden for them to bloom & be at their best all year round.
My post Heart Matters… Spoke about a special friend of mine.
You’re always welcome to drop over for a cuppa my new friend!
Jennifer
My hubby is my best friend, and our daughters are my next best friends. I do have a few female friends that I stay connected with–but most of them live a long ways away. I love that I can make friends nowadays over the internet!
Such an important topic. Tweeted this out! laurensparks.net
Yes!
In person, eyeball to eyeball conversations! How much I love these!
Thanks for the great reminder to connect in real life, Marva!
Hello Marva! It sounds like I have returned just in time. I too have met some online “friends” I thank God for you and other Christian bloggers that have come alongside. I appreciate the support, encouragement, especially from you dear friend. I agree it is even a bigger blessing when given the opportunity to meet in person for more intense and intimate fellowship. I am thrilled for the chance to join the moments of hope linkup today and visit with friends. I even put a link to your interview with me about the prayer book on my new site.; I look forward to your visit and reading the summer series of posts. Be well, sweet friend and God bless you and yours.
Hi Horace, what a joy to see you here today.
I just visited your new site and got goosebumps just scrolling through. I love the new look but even more than that, I’m so moved by the way God continues to work in your life as you recover and give Him the glory. I pray your website will be a place of hope and blessing for all who visit.
Love you, dear friend!
You caught me!! This is exactly the chapter I am writing on a book that was already supposed to be finished. Writing on the importance of community when you are a recluse by nature is tough. God is showing me all the time that He knows best. Loved this post, timely + lovely!
Thank you for sharing wise words on friendships! How we need them! You are a blessing, Marva, and I appreciate you adding a link about the Blogger Voices Network!
Friendships are a gift from our Heavenly Father 🙂 I, for one am so glad to have met you last year ,Marva !
Blesssings and let the sizzle begin ❤️
Diana, meeting you a few months ago was definitely a highlight of my time away. I’m so looking forward to featuring you and your grace-filled words next week!
Hugs and blessings, dear friend!
I am so glad you wrote about this. God has placed friendship so heavy on me in the last couple months – both old friendships and new. Thanks so much for writing about this Marva! I definitely need to make my friends more than items in my to-do list.
Oh girl, I know what you mean. I’m writing about it because I need it. I laughed when I saw your IG post about your husband sending you out of the house. Sometimes we do need that extra nudge! 🙂
By the way, I’m so grateful for the friendship we’ve been building online!
Wishing you blessings.
I am grateful too. Grateful for extra nudges and kindred spirits in the blogging world!
Thank you for linking my post! Looking forward to reading the other linked posts.
Aww, thanks for stopping by Kim. I first saw your post in Deb Wolf’s Faith n Friends linkup and it was such an encouragement to me. Your tips are so practical and they are great way to get the friendship spark going.
Blessings to you!