Last week, the girls here at Girl Got Faith found out we’d won TWO Premier Digital Awards…super exciting news! We were caught up in the excitement for the future and praising God for how he’s built this website and this community, and then one of the writers posted this quote in our group chat:
It was such a great reminder of the power and goodness that we as girls can build when we encourage and work with each other.
I don’t know where you’re at with your girl friendships right now, Christian or otherwise, and I totally get that they can be really tricky. There might be emotions and drama and occasionally mean-ness; and that’s difficult to deal with. But girl friendships are so so important in your walk as a daughter of the King in this world that is constantly seeking to tear you down.
It’s great to take a step back and think about who you’re surrounding yourself with, they can have a huge impact! Proverbs 18 v 24 says “One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother”.
This definitely applies to sisters too! If the girls you’re spending time with and investing in are negative, unkind or don’t bother to build you up in return, it might be time to take a step back and evaluate whether you need to get some friends that are more encouraging and positive!
There’s no guilt in moving away from friendship groups that ultimately aren’t bringing you closer to Jesus or making you feel good about the woman you’re becoming. Not to say that you should only be friends with Christian girls, because it’s vital to have a mixture! But you want to surround yourself with positive people who are there for laughs and fun but also there when things are tough or when you need a reality check from someone who loves you and wants the best for you.
Once you think you’ve found those girls (and that may take some time) you can start to work on deepening those friendships.
This comes from an investment of time, and looking at who you are as a friend. How supportive are you being? Are you aiming to draw those girls nearer to Christ, whether they follow him or not? Aiming to be the best friend you can is a really great way of drawing nearer both to other girls and to the person Jesus is shaping you to be.
In today’s world, sisterhood spreads further than just our own friendships. Sadly, we still live in a world where women specifically are treated unfairly and even put in danger. So the idea of supporting other women in a godly manner extends to girls you might not know that well, if at all. In school, in work, in public, be on the lookout for girls in need of your help and support.
Make sure that you establish a culture of encouragement wherever you are. It can range from something as simple as complimenting another girl on her outfit or the essay she got a great mark for, to going and offering help or a get-out to a stranger when she looks like she’s in need!
If this is something you are passionate about, there are some really cool charities that help and support women around the world facing crimes and struggles beyond what we could imagine. Maybe take some time to pray, spread awareness or raise some funds to help our sisters across the globe.
http://www.madewithloveproject.com/
http://www.haloproject.org.uk/
