Craving Real Friendships

You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you. ~Dale Carnegie

Lysa Terkeurst Wisdom

Just this week I was on an airplane finishing Lysa Terkeurst’s book Uninvited that will be out on August 9th. The chapter that stuck out at me was chapter 12, which points out how the devil often uses our emptiness against us. “The devil wants me to fill my emptiness with an unhealthy dependence on the acceptance of others. Because then he can get me focused on the shallow opinions of others, I get completely distracted from deepening my relationship with Christ.”

Further in the chapter, Lysa presents stats and goes into how social media makes women feel lonely, discouraged, and empty. Then a line in the chapter stood out to me, Lysa quotes a woman named Donna, who shares how social media makes her feel: “I’m connected to so many, yet I feel lonelier.” This quote also got me thinking about something a pastor in Berlin likes to mention, that there was a survey done in Berlin where most people admitted to not having any real or deep friendships.

There are 7 billion people on the earth and we all want to be loved and treasured by friends. While it’s important to keep in mind social media and people won’t solely fulfill us. We can be connected to so many people on social media, in our professional networks, and at church, but yet we feel lonely. But, why are so many people feeling lonely when the world is so populated?

 Being intimately involved in someone’s life is a great responsibility and good friendships are a gift from God. To be a friend means you are there, caring, listening, praying for your friends, and giving advice when necessary. But having good meaningful and intimate relationships means that you’re a good, meaningful and intimate friend to people. And it all starts with loving yourself and being good to yourself so that you can love others and be good to them.

 Dr. David Jeremiah wisdom

 “The Pasture” was one of Frost’s first poems, published in 1915 in the introduction of his first American collection. Afterward when Frost gave public readings, he often opened with “The Pasture,” inviting his audience to come along on his journey.

Sometimes our friendships become frosty because we don’t practice Frost’s advice. Why not invite someone to join you on a little journey, for a little chore, at a needful time in his or her life? Sometimes our friends don’t need our opinions. They just need us. They need to be included.

If you’ll look around today, you’ll probably find someone in a bit of adversity. Why not say, “I’m going out to clean the pasture spring. You come too!”

 Conclusion

What are some ways this week that you and I can make a friend feel less lonely?

 Happy Friday xx