Transformative Friendships

I've never been one to find thrill in change, to actively seek ways to expand my comfort zone. Often, I'm surprised when I realize that the people who are in my inner circle, my closest friends, do just that to me. They push me out of my comfort zone, and to be honest, it's a really tough thing for me--I wouldn't have it any other way.

I'm a bit of an idealist and a highly agreeable person. When I read Scriptures like Ephesians 4, I feel excited to implement the principles I learn--and I somehow expect it to all run smoothly. (Spoiler alert: it almost never does!) The problem with community is that community is messy, but friends, it's so worth it.

See, it was one of my friends who encouraged me to start this blog again. Perhaps "encourage" isn't the right word for it. She actually told me to pick one project I've always wanted to do, develop a strategy to bring it to life, and come back to her after the weekend and tell her the plan. If it weren't for her exhortation in my life, this blog may never have actually started.

Sometimes community is messy not when friends push us out of our comfort zones, but when we differ from our friends. I have several friends who have different views on life and come from different denominational backgrounds. Sometimes I disagree with their opinions about different topics, and sometimes I find myself becoming a little defensive of my own opinions. Always, though, when I am alone reflecting on those conversations, I find that I may have more to learn from these wonderful friends than I might first believe.

My friends from liturgical backgrounds remind me that physical actions can deepen my experience of worship--as I kneel in prayer, I am reminded that my heart must take a posture of submission. My friends from charismatic backgrounds teach me more about experiencing God with intensity and passion and through listening for the whisper of His Holy Spirit.

My understanding of God is shaped not only by reading Scripture, but through the community I surround myself with. "As iron sharpens iron, so one friend sharpens another." (Proverbs 27:17)  Community is messy, but the benefits of community on our spiritual growth far outweigh the growing pains of expanding our viewpoints.