God can be your friend. Ugh. If you told me that a year ago, I would have agreed with you…of course I agree with that. It sounds like something I would have repeated in Sunday School. But what does it mean? To me, “I am a friend of God,” meant we were on friendly terms. I am on His good side. Yet, is that friendship?
Friendship is a communion of souls. A friend you choose and a friendship you commit yourself to. Friends tell each other the truth; they refine and sharpen each other because of their love for each other.
This summer I needed to get quiet, or as quiet as possible with my four kids at home. I needed to disconnect from the voices surrounding me and reconnect with my God. I needed to reposition His voice, and what I have found is friendship…a kinship in my soul.
Friends are consistent, walking side by side. As I quieted life down, mainly schedules and choosing to let things slow, I allowed myself the space to walk through the days with my God and as that happened I looked to the side, and there He was. Friends stand close and listen well, friends wait until they have fully heard fully what the other has to say, and in this pause I am hearing God again.
Friendship with God has taken me longer to understand. It is easy for me to see reliance on God like I would rely on my father; it is understandable to see God as powerful, and even supreme. But to consider that it would please Him to give me the pleasure of His friendship? That seems more tender, more personal.
How could you experience friendship with God? First, I think knowing it is available and that the ability to have friendship with Him is an actual thing, knowing that He is waiting and wanting to walk through your days with you. Second may be humility, which might sound weird, because saying you have friendship with God seems almost prideful, but it is actually the opposite. It’s trust. It’s saying, “Okay God, here is all of me.”
A true friendship can only be known when nothing is held back, and true friendship will be known when the other can be relied upon, when I will look to Him and say, “This is truth, You intersecting my reality. I see You and we are in this. God, You are my friend and I am staying in this. I am committed. Committed to this because You are the all-powerful God and You deserve my whole, devoted heart, and also because this friendship with You is something I desire. I choose You. Life together, when You say You will never leave me or forsake me, I say it back. We are friends, not because I have to, but because I purely want to.”
Friendship with God. It’s available. It’s a thing. It’s the best. Maybe it’s something you could ask Him about? You may be surprised at what He has waiting for you. This is the free life. This is the life I never knew I always wanted.
