While Jesus is Your Lord and Savior, He is Also Your Friend
John 15:13: “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”
John 15:15 (NLT): “I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.”
1. Talk to Jesus About Your Life
One of the mainstays of a friendship, especially for us women, is to talk with our best friends.
When something goes wrong, we give them a call or a text.
When we achieve something, we want to celebrate and tell them all about it.
When we’re trying to process something - a decision or a difficult situation - we bend their ears.
When we need something, we reach out.
You can do all of these things - and more - with Jesus.
You don’t have to stop talking with your friends - just add Jesus to your list.
Trust me, Jesus is interested in it all. He doesn’t mind:
Logical processing
Emotional monologues
Urgent prayers.
Jesus wants to be your best friend.
Helpful Note: If you need some tips on how to pray/talk to Jesus, check out Episode #112.
However, I will say that:
It doesn’t have to be complicated.
There’s no formula required.
You can talk to Jesus just like you would your human friends.
The location doesn’t matter. (I’ve talked to Jesus while lying in bed, driving in my car, or sitting at the kitchen table.).
2. Spend Time with Jesus
Spending time with our friends is another natural part of the relationship:
Heart-to-heart talks
Doing fun activities
Taking a road trip
These things allow us to connect, communicate, and build memories.
It might sound strange, but you can do these things with Jesus as well.
Time with Jesus doesn’t just have to be about reading your Bible or doing a Bible study. (Though those things are important.)
Your relationship with Jesus can go beyond those things.
You can invite Jesus into the experience by:
Talking to Him during it (even if it’s just in your head)
You can ask Him to show up somehow during the activity
You can sing worship music that praises Him
You can decide to do an activity that helps other people (that you know He cares about, too).
Just think about what activities you like to do with your friends - brunch at a restaurant, a fun hike, etc. - and add Jesus to the guest list.
Or make Him the only guest - just Him and you.
The big idea here is to invite Him into your life. Connect with Him. Include Him. Make space for Him. And intentionally build memories with Him.
3. Be Yourself with Jesus
Real friendships are ones where we can be ourselves. Where we don’t feel as if we have to be someone else or fit into someone else’s mold.
We can also share whatever is happening in our lives.
On good days, we have it all together. On bad days, we’re a hot mess.
Either way, our true friends still love us, support us, and remain steadfast in our lives.
It’s the same with Jesus.
God doesn’t desire perfection.
One, because it’s not realistic.
And two, because such an expectation or requirement isn’t loving. And God is love, as it says in John 4:8.
So, as you’re talking to Jesus about your life and spending time with Him, just be yourself. Be the unique woman God created you to be.
And if you’re in a good place, having a good day, great.
If you’re in a not-so-great place - full of things like anxiety, fear, or pain - don’t hide it. (He can see it anyway.) Just keep it real with Him.