Friendship with Jesus: How Can It Happen?

We like the concept. Best friends with the One who has all power and authority is an appealing idea.

We like the songs. Singing What a Friend We Have in Jesus or The God of Angel Armies, He Is a Friend of Mine makes us feel good.

But really, can you be friends with a “presence” – an invisible being beyond your finite comprehension? YES, absolutely!

Friendship with Jesus is not only possible, it’s the purpose of life. It is the most wonderful adventure, the path to fulfilling the longings of your heart and satisfying the desires of God.

Won’t you join me in exploring friendship with Jesus?

Invest Time

What do you do to nurture your earthly friendships? You make lunch dates, schedule phone calls, and send texts, right?

Friendships take time. They are an investment. Being friends with Jesus is the same.

Choosing how to spend our time is a God-given privilege – and the choices we make reveal the priorities we hold. But time with God must be more than a “Should Do” item for your day. We all know a should do becomes a don’t do unless it’s also a want to!

Here’s an amazing thing about making the choice to invest time in seeking Jesus: the more time you spend with Him, the more time you will want to spend with Him. Like any other romance, love transforms obligations into desires. It still takes intentionality and discipline to develop your relationship with Jesus, but the effort is sweet and rewarding.

Be Transparent

Who do you go to when you get news that makes your heart feel like it will explode – whether with joy or pain? You go to the person you know will meet you where you’re at – the person whose heart is for you, right? True friends offer a safe place to share when you feel most vulnerable. You trust your friend to pour compassion on your pain or dance with you in celebrations.

This kind of relationship develops over time – intimate friends are tried and true. You build trust as you share with and care for each other. Your friendship with Jesus grows through the same kind of connection.

Spend time talking to Him about the things that bring you delight and the things that create despair. His loving compassion will light your way through every difficulty, and His abundant joy in you will cause your heart to overflow with thankfulness for the many blessings of life.

Be Trustworthy

One of the greatest treasures in life is a friend who always has your back – a friend who sees your value, defends your honor, and loves you deeply. These trusted friends are rare, and even they are fallible, broken people who may let you down. Only Jesus can be trusted to never betray you.

Becoming a trustworthy friend like Jesus is a beautiful byproduct of friendship with Jesus. As the perfect friend, He shows you how to love and deal with betrayal. Even though, you and I often betray Jesus, He never pulls away from us. He’s trustworthy and faithful.

Our natural bent is to prefer our own selves, our own ideas, and our own loves to Jesus. As we invest time in knowing Jesus through the revelations of the Bible, we begin to grow in knowledge of who He is, what He cares about, and how deeply He treasures every human being. That knowledge becomes part of you and changes you into a trustworthy friend for Him – and for others.

John the Baptist knew how to be a friend of Jesus:

I am only here to prepare the way for him … Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less (John 3:28-30 NLT).

John understood that His life had the greatest value when He used it to point to Jesus. He knew Jesus and deeply loved Him for who He was, is, and always will be: the One with all power and authority who loves you so much, He’ll die for you.

The privilege of being friends with the One who is also your King, and your Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer opens the way to a life of purpose and value – and the depth of that friendship is totally up to you! Jesus is all in – are you?

Embrace Change

Every friendship influences you, but deep friendship with Jesus transforms you! You do NOT become Jesus, but as His Spirit fills you, you begin to look more like Him. When you interact more honestly with Jesus, sharing your thoughts and feelings about the Truths He reveals and seeking to walk in His ways, you begin to change.

To embark on the adventure of friendship with Jesus is to seek to know what is on the heart of God – and be a friend who works alongside Jesus to make God’s good plans happen. It requires investing time reading His Word and sharing your heart. Friendship gives you the privilege of asking God questions and letting Him ask you questions. Friendship with Jesus brings vibrant life to you and all those you encounter.

In our next exploration of the amazing adventure of this friendship, we’ll look at practical ways to engage our hearts and minds with Jesus because two-way communication is essential to solid friendships!

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