Believe it or not, being relatable in friendship is not primarily dependent on compatibility. Relatability in friendship is more about our ability to be true to ourselves and real with one another. As a result, we position ourselves to experience authenticity in our friendships. Make no mistake - this takes courage and vulnerability. Everyone wants to feel as if they have a friend that gets them; a friend they can easily relate to. This kind of organic connection in friendship is possible. As we lean into taking intentional strides to be the kind of friend who is relatable, we reap the benefits of longevity, loyalty, and sisterly love in our friendships.
Fostering relatability in friendship empowers us to engage with other women, encountering depth and quality in our friendships. If we give place to pretense instead of authenticity, it impacts our friendships with meaningless surface, shallow exchanges of going through the motions instead of genuine bonding. Who has time to pretend and invest energy in a fake friendship?
Relatability requires us to keep an open mind and heart, especially toward women who are different from us. Just because a sister does not appear to be someone you would naturally gravitate to does not mean it could not be a God-ordained connection or have the potential of becoming a covenant friendship. Do not overlook friendships in the making because of the way they are initially packaged.
I believe the biggest part of relatability in friendship involves our ability to be real and relatable with God. When we have a sincere relationship with the Lord, we are open to whatever he tells us and obedient to follow Him however He may lead us. If we find it difficult to be open to new people, new ideas, and can only be comfortable with those who mirror our personal preferences, personality, etc., then we are missing out on friendships God meant to be a blessing to our lives.
It is always helpful to take a step back and evaluate our expectations of our friends as well as assess what kind of friend we are to others. Reflecting upon how being relatable in friendship honors God, I leave you with two scriptures to meditate upon:
Romans 12:10 (NIV), “Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
Psalm 133:1 (NIV), “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”
The enemy rejoices when we are unable to be relatable in friendship. It is his job to influence us toward selfishness - not humility. He wants us to give into our own flesh - not forgiveness. He wins if we take the bait of pride instead of persevering in peace that promotes unity in friendship.
As Children of God, we want to represent His kingdom well. We want to relate to our friends in a manner that communicates respect, appreciation, and consideration. Let’s endeavor to be the kind of friend who welcomes God’s grace and mercy to relate well with other women and that our friends can also relate well with us.
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