"I have several friends that used to go to church with me, but now they are going to parties and drinking. What should I do to help them?"
Dear SAGE Girl,
Friendships can be one of life's biggest blessings, but they can also bring us some of life's biggest challenges. It is especially hard to watch people you care about begin to make choices that we know will have negative consequences in their life down the road.
In your situation, I would encourage you to look at all the friends you have in your life and start to evaluate some things. First of all, we know for certain that God has called us to be a light to those around us (Matt. 5:16). It's important for you to keep making wise choices and by doing so, you are letting your light shine in the lives of those who may not be pursuing Christ. I would also encourage you to continue praying for your friends, asking the Spirit to bring conviction into their lives and the courage to make better decisions. You’ll be amazed at what can happen when we pray.
Having said that, you also need to make sure that you have a group of friends who are trying to build you up the way you are trying to build up these friends who are struggling (Prov. 27:17). Think of it as having your friends in two circles: one is a circle of intimacy and one is a circle of influence. Your struggling friends can be within your circle of influence, but you need some strong, Christ-centered girls to be in your circle of intimacy. Having a group of two to three girls who you can really trust and who will encourage you in your faith is something every girl needs.
Without a strong support system like that, it is all too easy for peer pressure to get the best of us and cause us to join our struggling friends in making poor choices. So keep caring for your friends who are struggling spiritually, but choose to truly confide in those that can make your walk with the Lord stronger.
"Lord, I pray for these friends who are choosing to walk outside of Your perfect will for their life. I ask you to reveal Yourself to them clearly and draw them back into an intimate relationship with You. And may we all learn to be the kind of friend that everyone can rely on, a friend that points others to You."
