Friends Sharpen Friends

​I used to think that vulnerability was a weakness, but now I see that it breeds true friendship and growth.
Recently, God truly blessed me with some deep and godly friendships, and in this season of my life, they are probably the thing that I thank God for the most. I was talking with some of these friends, and one of them pointed out the beauty of knowing a person’s testimony. When one knows a person’s story, such a deep appreciation and understanding is birthed. A deeper sensitivity is developed toward a friend’s weaknesses and soft spots because both parties know what has led to a person’s current state.
Similarly, there is a healing that goes beyond words when a person is vulnerable and admits to one’s weaknesses. I have been dealing with spiritual warfare lately, and I tried to deal with it on my own. I kept telling myself that it would hurt me to admit to my friends that I needed help. I believed the lie that I would be looked down upon because my innate humanity leads to imperfection and struggles. Yet, when I finally admitted to my brokenness, the healing process that I had been craving began to take flight.
Proverbs 27:17 states, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”
When iron is being sharpens it has to create friction when being rubbed against another strong piece of iron. That process causes pieces to be rubbed off and smoothed down, and surely that process is not comfortable. Similarly, the processes of being vulnerable and being led to growth and healing is not one that is comfortable. But, that period of being spiritually sharpened against another strong friend creates an evolutionary process that leads to a greater awareness of Christ’s merciful love and healing. Yet, if I do not allow myself to be vulnerable with my godly friends, then the sharpening that my soul craves will never take place. Sometimes, the sharpening requires one’s sin being called out. Ladies, you want the kind of friend who loves you too much to not call out the sin that will deteriorate and hurt you.
I believe that God often times uses people to speak his truths. In my instance, my friends were most definitely one of the vessels that God used to help me walk through. In true godly, friendship, life is spoken over one another and there is freedom to be honest and vulnerable about where one truly is. 

Written By: Tara