Dericka Canada Cunningham, GBW Founder
October 4, 2021
This Week's Anchor
“Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.”
Proverbs 12:25 (NIV)
Aren’t you grateful for the on-time nature of a phone call with a friend? I had a few this past week. It’s so easy to get lost in the busyness of our lives and forget that what we might need most are the kind words of our friends. In moments when my life is hectic, the thought of reaching out to a friend can feel overwhelming and anxiety-provoking itself. However, our anchor scripture reminds us that kind words (especially those from our friends) can be the timely antidote to our worries.
This scripture is simple—“anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.” Sometimes it’s the simple things that we take for granted the most. And in this case, it can be those simple moments with our homegirls that we underappreciate. Not only do our friends have the potential of helping us heal through cheering us up, but another scripture in the book of Proverbs reminds us of how the important people in our lives, such as friends, can help us grow. “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17). God consistently reminds us of the power that a group of people who are intimately connected can possess. When we come together in community of friends, in addition to being encouraged (Proverbs 12:25) and sharpened (Proverbs 27:17), the presence of God and the Holy Spirit can show up (Matthew 18:20), we are stronger and not easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12), and we have the potential to experience relentless love (Proverbs 17:17).
As I mentioned above, there are a million things that can get in the way of connecting with our friends for support. As we grow older, our lives get more complicated. We also often find ourselves in different seasons than our friends which can make connecting even more difficult. If not practical reasons, there can also be psychological/social/emotional reasons that get in the way of us connecting. Maybe we find it hard to trust others or we are used to being the strong person whom others rely on, so reaching out just isn’t in our nature. Or maybe for understandable and valid reasons we have a hard time identifying people in our lives who are worth calling a “friend”. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all definition of friendship, and there are many different kinds of friends. If not a friend in the traditional sense, maybe it’s a classmate, coworker, a former colleague, an acquaintance, or a neighbor with whom we are building a friendship. Whoever it is and whatever form the friendship takes, it doesn’t take much to connect and reconnect if we are willing to take the risk. Just one quick phone call, message, or email to a friend can make a world of a difference.
Out of all the friends in our world, we have the friendship of Jesus as one of the greatest models. Jesus calls us and those He gathered with friends (John 15:12-15). He gave His life for us. He loves us without limits and He is the example of friendship that leads with authenticity, empathy, and vulnerability—a friendship that challenges us to be the best version of ourselves. Sometimes we need to go to The Friend in prayer to help us connect with our earthly friends so that we can experience the beautiful meaning and healing that friendship can offer.
Not only does friendship have a lot to afford us, but, like Jesus, we can also pr0vide the same to others. If you feel isolated and are yearning for connection with a friend, take the leap this week. Show up for a friend and allow a friend to show up for you.
Reflection
What is resonating for you about this scripture and/or this devotion?
What gets in the way of you connecting with friends in times when you need it most
What do you need from the Holy Trinity to help you connect more meaningfully in friendships?
What intention(s) do you want to set to connect and/or reconnect with being grounded this week?
Related Scriptures to Ground You Through this Week
Proverbs 17:17
Proverbs 27:17
Matthew 18:20
Ecclesiastes 4:12
John 15:12-15
Colossians 3: 12-14
My Through-the-Week Reflection Guide
A Song of Inspiration
Quote of Love & Liberation
“ ‘I love being a woman and being a friend to other women,' should be feminism's tagline.”
Brittney Cooper
(A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpowers)
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