Last night I went out for dinner with a few of my girlfriends. We had such a wonderful time. The four of us have committed to bi-weekly Friday dinners for a little bit more than a year now. These nights are always full of delicious food, meaningful conversations, and prayers. I love that we gather as a group of close friends to talk and share our hearts. I felt particularly grateful after our dinner last night, and I couldn’t help but want to express my gratitude for these ladies.
While we do not want our time together to feel too structured, we do want to make sure it is intentional and purposeful. Therefore, what we have been doing (and absolutely loving) is having one of us share a short Bible passage that we then discuss. We then share how our last couple of weeks have been. This is the time when we can be vulnerable and honest about our feelings, struggles, and worries. After sharing, we end by praying for each other. I cannot emphasize enough just how much these meetings have blessed me and helped me grow personally and spiritually.
I especially love the dynamics of our group. We are each SO different. We work in different industries and are in different seasons of life. We have different dreams and passions. Nonetheless, we are sisters in Christ and we love each other. We constantly remind ourselves to be patient and gracious to each other because our friendships are so precious, and we definitely do not want to let anything take that away from us.
Another thing that I love about our group is our focus. I was in toxic friendships when I was in high school and all we did was gossip, judge each other, and compare ourselves to others. I like that the friends that I have now always try to fix their eyes on Jesus, let the Spirit guide our conversation, and speak truth to each other. As corny as it sounds, true friends lift each other up, not bring each other down.
Now, it is definitely not easy to have these honest, meaningful conversations. It is sometimes scary, but it is also an opportunity to grow. The women in my life are so faithful, brave, and inspiring. They have demonstrated so clearly what being vulnerable looks like and how it is okay to be so. They create a safe place for me to be vulnerable and real when discussing my journey with God and others. Their encouragement is priceless and filled with God’s truth. Their prayer is comforting and spirit-led.
Our friendships are not perfect by any means. We have times when we disagree with each other and have different views on things. However, we have learned to talk things through and be supportive and understanding of each other. In Colossians 3:12-14, it says: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”
Do you also have a group of women in your life who love you, support you, and constantly bring your closer to God? What is your favorite thing about your friendships with your girlfriends?
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