In the hustle and bustle of modern life, our friendships often take a backseat to work obligations, family responsibilities, and other commitments. However, what if we approached our friendships with the same level of intentionality and purpose that we apply to other areas of our lives? Being deliberate and intentional about our friendships means recognizing their profound impact on our well-being and actively investing in nurturing and cultivating them.
While it is true that so much goes on during the process of building and sustaining our friendships, we must never forget the importance of valuing certain things above others. Life has a way of making certain things insignificant when we learn to look through the lens of ‘The Bigger Picture’.
The devil knows the value relationships add to our lives, both now and in the future. It is important to always be careful how we handle conflicts and misunderstandings in our friendships because sometimes, the devil knows how important certain people would be to us in the future, and therefore he works through his craftiness and wickedness to destabilize and destroy these friendships early, before they are nurtured into fruitfulness to the individuals.
I think if we are deliberate and intentional about the following strategies, we can be able to manage the challenges that life throws at us and consequently keep our friendships healthy and sustained for a long time.
Instead of dwelling on the challenges or shortcomings in friendship, we can learn to focus on the positive qualities and experiences that friendship brings. We can always remind ourselves of the reasons why certain people are important to us and the value they add to our lives.
I have also learnt that we can try to understand the perspectives of our friends and the factors that may contribute to the challenges we could be facing in the relationships we have with them. Empathy and understanding can help us see beyond surface-level issues and foster a deeper sense of connection and compassion.
It is obvious that continuously addressing any concerns or conflicts in friendship through open and honest communication goes a long way. Expressing our feelings and listening actively to our friends’ perspectives and practicing effective communication can help resolve misunderstandings and strengthen the bonds we have with our friends.
One of the most difficult virtues I have realized in Christian friendships is setting boundaries. Establishing clear boundaries can help manage any recurring challenges in friendship. We must learn to communicate our needs and limits respectfully and be prepared to enforce boundaries if necessary. Setting boundaries can promote mutual respect and understanding in the relationship.
Also recognize that friendships, like any relationship, require effort and commitment to evolve and grow. Therefore, embracing opportunities for personal growth and learning that arise from navigating challenges in your friendships helps us to be better friends, hence nurturing healthy relationships.
It is also important to reflect on the potential long-term benefits of maintaining a friendship despite its challenges. As an individual, you learn to consider the shared history, experiences, and the emotional support that friendship provides, as well as the potential for future growth and connection. This is the main reason why I called this article “The Bigger Picture’ because I realized that many people tend to look at the now, and forget that people change, people grow, people evolve; through this growth and evolution, you never know what the person you are with today will become in future. The future holds a lot of surprises; may be one day your children will meet and become friends, may be that person will be in a place where you need help and they are in position to help, may be one day you find yourselves in the same work place, country you name it. It would absolutely be sad to find yourselves in such scenarios when you are in conflict or cannot see eye-to-eye.
Remember, you are where you are today because of the choices you made yesterday; what makes you think the choices you are making today will not affect your tomorrow?
Finally, let us learn to prioritize self-care and well-being while navigating challenges in our friendships. It is important to always take time to engage in activities that bring you joy and relaxation, and prioritize relationships that uplift, add value to and support you.
Otherwise, God is intentional about our friendships, and He wills that they last and become fruitful and remain healthy even as we navigate this one life that we have here on earth.
Stay Blessed.
#WiGTyT
