Friends or Cliques?

Friendship is normal and healthy. It's always good to feel like you have a place. It's good to know you have people to hang out with. Having friends can help teens learn how to develop communication skills, get and give support, share their thoughts and beliefs, discover what really matters to them, and have fun.

Teens normally choose friends by looking at what they have in common with others. This is how most groups are formed. Naturally they are drawn together because they share similar interests. Well, the Lord does the same thing. He gathers those who are called according to His purpose. 2Tim 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

This is why Christian teenagers should pray that Father God gives them the friends they need, because only He knows the entire blueprint of their future. Do not waste time trying to pursue those the Spirit of God hasn't told you to pursue. Save your self from the heartache and battle of trying to make something fit that really doesn't. He knows we need friends and that it is not good for us to be alone. So, He will provide friends. Let Him lead you and show you who they are.

We must also remember that certain people are in our lives for a season and others are there long-term. Some stay, some go. That is a part of life. Every person on the earth has a different destiny path. This an important concept, so I'll give you an example to help you understand.

Your best friend Tina says the Lord is moving her from cheerleading to soccer, but you are still on the cheerleading squad. This is not a personal attack on you. It just means that your friend is moving forward to follow God's purpose for her life. She had a season with you on the squad, but now God is doing something new on her path. Also, this doesn't have to mean that you've been left behind. You can keep advancing as a cheerleader too. Do not allow rejection to tear you down. Again I say, this is all part of life. It has nothing to do with people liking others more than you or not liking you. Please understand this.

Teens can move in and out of different groups and can even be part of several at the same time. Even within a group, people often have one or two friends they feel closest to and enjoy the most. If you feel like the people you are with don't want just anyone in their group then you are part of a clique. Cliques are restrictive. They always limit freedom. The best way to keep your identity in Christ is to surround yourself with Christian friends that center their attention on Jesus. This way, it's not about you or your friends; all of you remain free to carry out the plan of God for your lives in the earth. Yea, God!

photo by Adam Foster Codefor