After receiving salvation, I began seeking through prayer and Bible study, both quality friendships and relationships with others, instead of maintaining unhealthy and ungodly relationships. God began chiseling away the ungodly relationships and set me on the proper course. God started to provide friendships that were supportive of my well-being and of my relationship with him instead of friendships that pulled me away from Christ and hindered my spiritual development. I was on fire for the Lord, and as a result, he began to give me the desires of my heart. As a Christian, I knew that godly relationships would help me grow in the Lord. I knew that I needed fellowship with other believers so that I could grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Christ knew my heart’s desire. When he saw my total commitment to him, he began placing people around me to whom I could be a blessing and whom could be a blessing to me.
At one point, I had a relationship with a man respectful of God’s word, and therefore, we both knew and desired to keep both ourselves and the relationship pure. For the first time, I desired more from Christ than any man could provide. We spent time together often, and both studied the word and prayed together. We attended the same church and worshipped together weekly. Although the relationship did not end in marriage, God showed me that he could keep me sexually pure and help me to honor him throughout the relationship. He showed me how to develop an intimate, but non-sexual friendship with a man. Because I honored God with my thoughts, conversations, and actions, he gave me peace and purity. He showed me that if I honor him, he will honor me. I knew then that I could honor God throughout my relationships.
Afterward, God honored me by giving me great and wonderful friendships with women whom I encourage often to lead holy lives before the Lord. I have godly friendships with others that God blesses because I learned how to put Christ first in everything I do. I now have some of the greatest Christian friends for whom a woman could hope. I’m no longer a loner Christian or a Christian with non-edifying friendships.
I have a monthly women’s fellowship that a friend and I started. We get together with about twelve other women to pray, encourage each other, engage in activities (crafts, afternoon teas, vision boards), support one another, and enjoy good food. We all look forward to it, for iron sharpens iron. It’s one of the highlights of my month. Christ reached out to me, and now I reach out to others in love and friendship with a desire to honor God in all that I do.
Christianity Loves 