Have you ever felt misplaced, misunderstood, or isolated from other women? I have, and it hurts. Even those with whom I would never have expected, women at my church, have sometimes left me out. Of course, it wasn’t their intention to do this, but the sting of not being considered or invited to a social event made me feel misplaced and forgotten.

As Christians, we care deeply about connecting with others, especially our fellow sisters in Christ. Why? Because we were created for community. The basis for this longing for relationships results from the fact that we serve a trinitarian God - three distinct persons, yet one God. Throughout eternity, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have co-existed together and enjoyed complete communion and love with one another. There was, and is perfect unity amid diversity.

But how could there be unity within the godhead yet also diversity? Each person in the Trinity has a unique role in the one divine plan of salvation. The Father appointed our salvation; the Son accomplished our salvation, and the Spirit applies salvation to our hearts. No one is competing or trying to outshine the other person. There is perfect love and unity amongst the three persons of the one true and living God. Therefore, as image-bearers of God (Genesis 1:26), we were created for relationships. Though we are all different, we all share a natural yearning to belong. But unfortunately, since the fall of humankind, our relationships have become tainted with the effects of sin: jealousy, backstabbing, friendship breakups, gossip, and all kinds of hurts. As a result, we don’t have the perfect harmony we find within the triune God. However, due to our redemption, our church community should be a place where we can experience a foretaste of this harmony (2 Corinthians 13:14).

Because of the gift of Christ’s sacrifice, we can now experience God’s love for us and the Spirit’s power to bring different people together in perfect unity. It’s a unity that represents hope in a broken world.

Since we are created in God’s image with a desire to be in friendship with God and one another, how can we be faithful and faith-filled friends?

First, we must know that we belong to God and find our purpose and meaning in him alone. If we are not in a right relationship with God, all other relationships will be lacking. With this in mind, we also need to know the basic definition of friendship. What does friendship even mean? What are some of its characteristics?

Friendship is a state of enduring affection, intimacy, and trust between two people. Are you this kind of friend to others? And, do you have a relationship like this with Christ? But, first, let’s look at a biblical story of friendship.

The story is found in Mark 2:2-12. There are three practical takeaways on the meaning of true friendship found in this text.

1. Showing up and caring for our friends under challenging seasons is essential. (Mark 2:3-4)

As you’ll notice right off the bat, the paralyzed man had true friends. Not only did they bring him to Jesus, but they also made SURE Jesus saw him. We must ask ourselves: Are we bringing our friends closer to Christ? You can do this by inviting them to church, taking them to coffee, and being a listening ear. Fear often stops us from behaving as we should towards others, especially during difficult seasons. Why? Because we think we won’t know what to say or don’t know what to do. Don’t entertain this kind of thinking. Remember, your presence in that person’s life can offer more love and comfort than any words could ever provide.

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2. Remind them that only Christ can forgive their sins when they stumble in sin. (Mark 2:5)

God’s grace has declared not only us but also our sister’s sins as being justified - wholly forgiven in Christ. So instead of judging our friends who may stumble into sin, let’s remind them of Christ’s forgiveness. Remind them of times in your life when you’ve sinned and how God gave you the grace to grow in faith and obedience. God has justified her through Christ; her sanctification is a lifelong journey like yours, and God has more than enough grace for you both.

3. Remind your worried and wayward friends of God’s goodness and promises (Mark 2:12)

Genuine rejoicing is contagious. We can be happy when our circumstances are going favorably in our direction, but JOY comes from knowing that all will be well in the Lord.

Have you ever seen a genuinely joyful Christian? How do they act and react when life is weighing them down? Are they joy-filled, or does their complaining drain you? Battle your complaints and anxieties by praising God for his goodness in your life. You can journal down how God has come through in the past. You can pray and thank him for all the blessings of your day. Remember that your Christian walk can be a battle at times.

Our flesh would love nothing more than to sulk, have a pity party and complain. We all know pity parties cost too many calories (who else loves to eat their feelings?). All they do is leave us feeling bloated and drained. Instead, remind your friends of the importance of giving thanks to God!

Jesus is the perfect friend. He reigns with God the Father and the Holy Spirit in perfect communion. Jesus has made way for us to join in that fellowship through salvation in him alone.

He has restored our fellowship with our heavenly Father. Since our hearts are filled with his everlasting love, we should link arms with our sisters and show Jesus’ great love for them through our actions.