Mindy's Blog


 

Invest In a Few Good Friends 

By Mindy Caliguire - Monday, February 15, 2010

Spiritual Formation is often associated with very private, contemplative, even isolated ways of being with God. And it is certainly true that those individual spiritual practices are essential to our life with God—in fact, they often are necessary in stripping any dependence on unhealthy attachments to others.

Solitude and silence, solitary prayer and engagement with the scriptures bring us to openness and yielded-ness to God. When we embrace these core practices, we care for our souls—we put ourselves in a place where God infuses us with life and love and power and grace and healing.

But, the human soul is also designed to receive life and nurture—from God—in the context of relationships. Honest conversation with a trustworthy friend ALSO brings us to the place of openness and yielded-ness to God. When I intentionally walk through this life in the company of friends, I ALSO put myself in a place where God infuses me with life and love and power and grace and healing.

Why? Simply put, He actually indwells his imperfect people. So as we connect authentically with others along this journey of following God, we are able to connect with God. So how do you connect with others?
  • Intentionally take conversations to the topics that really matter
  • Wisely discern friends who are willing to “go there”
  • Swallow our pride in order to share the real stuff of our struggles
  • Share our “growth edges” where we sense God is doing a new thing in us
I’ve even found over these many years that these spiritual friends are the ones who have encouraged and even taught me the importance of those very private practices. And I know I have been able to offer that gift to a few of my friends as well.

Relationships change our lives; it’s a simple fact of the human soul. Be sure to be investing in a few good friends.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.   Ephesians 4: 14-16

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