Session 2

Friends make everything better

From Ready to Receive: A 5-Day Devotional for NewSpring Women’s Conference

We can’t see ourselves as we really are.

False identities and lies have a way of clinging to us, hiding the glory of our righteousness — the person God sees and who we’re on the way to becoming.

God often uses an honest, loving friend to help us identify what we fear, what isn’t really true, or what we haven’t really thought about.

The Holy Spirit is our friend who walks by our side on the journey. He knows the comfort of companionship because He is companionship, and He works through our friends to reveal Himself to us and reveal us to ourselves.

Perhaps you’ve opened your heart and mind for God to speak to you. But are you seeking to hear from Him on your own?

Life is hard. Partnering with the Holy Spirit to change the way you think and live is even harder. Every experience is a little bit easier with a friend. Often, it’s because we share our fears and struggles that we become friends.

If you don’t come to the conference with friends, expect to leave with some. The best way to recognize and embrace God’s work in your heart is by having someone to experience life change with you.

The Bible speaks to this truth repeatedly.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 tells us, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!”

In Romans, we hear about Aquila and Priscilla, a married couple who helped Paul and served the early Church together (Romans 16:3-5).

Each of us at the conference has a struggle, a secret, a challenge. God will speak to each individually, but the strength to accept His Word and obey His voice can come from knowing that others are with you on the journey — and likely also are struggling, too.

Friendship is risky, but it’s also rewarding. Opening up to another person shows that we not only trust each other but also that we trust God to bless the relationship for our mutual benefit.

Reflect:

• What scares you the most about opening up to new people?
• Are you willing to trust God to lead you to a new friend or two? Why or why not?
• How can you deepen the relationships you already have?