Friendships are one of the many blessings God has blessed us with on this Earth.

When life gets challenging, our friends are there. When there’s an opportunity to celebrate, our friends are there. 

But your friends should not be the ones draining all your time and energy. Your friends should not be the ones making insults or belittling who you are.

Your friends should not be the ones causing you to drift away from God. 

It is so important for us to be intentional in choosing our support system.

The right support system is like water that pours into a plant to help it grow. In the same way, the wrong support system can stunt your growth and get you off track of the path God has for you. 

Here are three reasons to be intentional in choosing your friends: 

1. Your Friendships Have the Power to Influence You 

Are your friends influencing you in a way that represents Christ or in a way that represents the world ? 

2 Timothy 2:22 states, “Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.” 

This scripture encourages us to run from the youthful lusts of this world and to pursue the things that represent Christ. In the same way, may we pursue friendships that represent Christ. 

Our friends should not be influencing us to do worldly acts that push us farther away from Jesus. Our friends should be influencing us in a way that reminds us of Jesus. 

For it’s not enough for us to have friends we can call on, but to have friends that the Lord can call on as well. 

2. Your Friendships Have the Power to Challenge You 

Are your friends challenging you or pacifying you ? 

Proverbs 27:17 states, “ As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” 

This scripture is clear about friendships and their role to sharpen us. Iron back in the biblical days was used to sharpen stones like marble or granite. 

Both of these stones were very sharp like iron and worked together to sharpen each other. In this same way, our friends should be just as sharp as us.

Even in the bible, we see Jesus constantly challenging the disciples on how they would think or see things and people. Jesus even taught the disciples many lessons and parables about the Kingdom of Heaven. 

It’s not enough to have friends that appease our flesh and make us feel good about ourselves. We need friends that are willing to tell us when we are wrong.

For godly friendships offer us good counsel, that teaches us right from wrong. 

3. Your Friendships Have the Power to Empower You 

Are your friends uplifting you or draining you ? 

Romans 1:11-12 states “For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.”

As believers we are called to encourage each other and build each other up. God gave each of us gifts to use to help and uplift the body of Christ.

Our friends are a part of that body of Christ but your friends should not be the ones draining all your energy to where it leaves you feeling powerless. 

It is so important to have friends that can uplift and empower you in return. For life comes with many battles, so make sure you have people on your side that can help you fight.