The Friends Who Lift You Toward Christ
We Weren’t Meant to Do This Alone
Let’s be real—life is hard enough without trying to walk through it alone.
We all need people in our corner. The right people. The kind of friends who don’t just show up when it’s convenient but who stick around when life gets messy. The ones who don’t just tell us what we want to hear but point us back to truth, back to Jesus.
Proverbs 18:24 puts it like this:
“There are ‘friends’ who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.”
I don’t know about you, but I don’t need more surface-level, flake-out-when-things-get-tough friendships. I need people who will fight for me in prayer, hold me up when I’m too weak to stand, and remind me who God says I am when I start forgetting.
But finding those kinds of friends? That’s where it can sometimes be a little more difficult.
God’s Timing, Not Ours
I’ll never forget the friend God sent me back in 2012—right in the middle of the darkest season of my life.
At the time, I was afraid to walk into a church. Having just gone through a painful divorce from a pastor, I found myself sitting in the back row of my own mind, questioning everything. I’d see a pastor on stage and wonder, “But how does he treat his wife?”
I wasn’t angry at God—I just wasn’t sure I could trust His people again.
And then this friend showed up.
We met through work as I was helping her land a job, and we clicked instantly. We had similar life stories, but more than that—she saw the part of me that was broken and didn’t run away.
One day, she invited me to her church.
I hesitated. I gave her my whole speech about why church felt hard for me. And instead of brushing it off, she said: “I get it. But listen—my pastor is my cousin. I grew up with him. He’s not just a preacher; he’s a man of integrity, a husband and father who loves his family well.”
That was all I needed.
Six months after stepping away from church, I walked back in. And it wasn’t just about attending a service—it was about God using a friend to pull me back into His presence when I wasn’t sure how to get there myself.
That’s what godly friends do.
They don’t push you.
They don’t force you.
They walk with you until you’re strong enough to stand again.
How to Recognize God-Sent Friends
Not every friendship is meant to last forever. Some people are in your life for a season, but the friends God sends to walk with you long-term? They stand out.
Here’s how you know a friendship is from God:
✅ They encourage your faith. – A godly friend will point you back to Jesus, even when you don’t feel like listening.
✅ They pray for you. – And not just a casual “I’ll pray for you,” but the kind of friend who will actually go to war for you in prayer.
✅ They show up when life falls apart. – They don’t disappear when things get uncomfortable. They stand beside you when you feel like giving up.
✅ They challenge you. – A real friend won’t let you stay stuck in a negative mindset. They’ll call you out when you’re drifting.
✅ They remind you of who you are. – When you feel unworthy, unseen, or defeated, they’ll remind you who God says you are.
If you have friends like this, thank God for them.
And if you’re still searching for them? Ask God to send them.
Because He will.
The “Ben and Hur” Friends
There’s a story in Exodus 17:12 that has always stuck with me.
Moses was leading the Israelites in battle, and as long as his arms were raised, they were winning. But the moment his arms dropped, they started losing.
And here’s the key part:
“When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.”
Aaron and Hur didn’t fight the battle for him.
They didn’t give long speeches about how he should “just have more faith.”
They held up his arms when he was too exhausted to do it himself.
We all need Ben and Hur friends in our lives. The kind who lift us up when we can’t stand on our own.
The kind who will hold up our arms in prayer when we’re too tired to lift them ourselves.
Becoming That Kind of Friend
It’s easy to focus on finding the right friends. But the bigger question is—are we being the right friend?
Because let’s be real: We all want godly, uplifting friendships… but are we offering that same kind of loyalty, love, and encouragement in return?
Ask yourself:
✔ Am I praying for my friends the way I want them to pray for me?
✔ Am I pointing them back to Jesus when they start drifting?
✔ Am I encouraging them when they’re struggling?
✔ Am I showing up when life gets messy?
Godly friendships aren’t about perfection. They’re about commitment. They’re about choosing to walk together in faith, even when it’s hard.
Final Thought: The Right Friends Change Everything
I don’t know where you are in your friendships today. Maybe you’re blessed with a strong, godly circle—hold onto them, pray for them, and keep showing up for them.
Or maybe you’re feeling lonely, wondering where those kinds of friendships even exist.
If that’s you, let me encourage you—God sees you. He hasn’t forgotten you.
Pray. Ask Him for the right friends. And be open when He brings them into your life, even if it’s in an unexpected way.
Because the friends who lift you toward Christ?
They’re out there. And when you find them, you’ll wonder how you ever did life without them.
Key Scriptures for Godly Friendships
Proverbs 18:24 – “There are ‘friends’ who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.”
Exodus 17:12 – “Aaron and Hur held [Moses’s] hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.”
Proverbs 27:17 – “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.”
1 Thessalonians 5:11 – “Encourage one another and build each other up.”
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 – “If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.”
Did You Miss the Last Post?
If you haven’t read the first part of this series, “When Friendship Isn’t Friendship: Learning to Walk Away,” check it out here. It’s all about recognizing when a friendship is draining instead of strengthening you—and how to walk away when necessary.