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"I am a little brush that Jesus has chosen in order to paint His own image into the souls entrusted to my care." ~St. Therese





Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Faithful Friends: The Reflection of God's Love

"A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter: he who finds one has found a treasure." ~Sirach 6:14

True friendship is a gift from God. It can be extremely hard to find faithful friends who will always stay by your side and remain loyal to you, which is why I personally stopped trying so hard to find one. I also realized that if I have to try so hard to be someone's friend, are they really a true friend? By this I mean, if you are always the one that is asking them to do things with you, always the one to start a conversation with them, and they never seem to really have an interest in being your friend back... then are they really a faithful friend? So instead of trying so hard, I decided to ask God to find me faithful friends. And He did...

 Many people will just hang out with you occasionally, might share a few interests with you, and then forget about you. Faithful friends do not forget about each other. They enjoy spending time with you and genuinely care about you. True friendship is also not just about getting along and having many things in common. While having things in common is important, it is not the only aspect that you should look for in a friend.

 
(Photo credit goes to my beautiful friend Angela!)
 

As the picture above says, faithful friends are a "source of strength." True friends are the reflection of God's love for you and through this reflection, they help you grow closer to Him. Faithful friends seek to help each other in times of hardship instead of backing away. They help each other get through these trials by their willingness to help, their kindness, and their love for you. By doing this, they each help to strengthen the other during these difficult moments that we all face in life. They help you to see how much God loves you. As a result the friendship becomes very joyful and it gives you strength.

They also do not say negative things about you, but instead encourage you to stop saying negative things about yourself. Instead, they uplift you, encourage you, and help you to see how God sees you.

So if you are wondering how to find a faithful friend, ask God to send you one that will lead you closer to Him. Some things to think about when praying about your friendships can include:

Do they say negative things about you or to you?

When there is distance between you, does the friendship last?

Do they abandon you in difficult moments?

Do they only hang out with you occasionally and only when you come up with the idea first?

Does the friendship help you to become a better person? Does it lead you closer to God?

So please remember to seek God with your whole heart. Ask Him to send you faithful friends and ask Him to help you be a faithful friend as well. When we let God decide who He wants us to be friends with, we will have the happiest and most authentic friendships we could ever imagine because He knows what is best for us. :)

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