What's Happening to Friendship?

All you coming from Encouragement for Today, welcome! If you'd like to read more about building meaningful relationships, my devotion today is about balancing face-time with Facebook time.

Lonely. That's not a word I thought I'd ever use to describe myself, but that's just where I was for many years after a hard move. There were lots of reasons, some of them my own fault and some not, but knowing the reasons didn't help.

My friend Carol sent me an editorial that was recently published in USA Today that included information from a fascinating but sad study. In this study published in the American Sociological Review, they cited statistics that showed that half of Americans only have two close friends. The saddest stat said that one out of four Americans don't have any.

Not a single one.

That's a lot of hurting souls and broken hearts.

My heart grieves over those statistics, because I have felt the pain of loneliness. I want us to focus on hope, though.

If you're lonely...
Here's the advice that I kept giving myself over and over during those lonely days, because I believe it to be true...

When you don't have a friend, BE the friend to others that you would like to have.

Here are some of the things I told myself over and over during my hard time. "Self", I'd say...

"Would you love a friend who took time to show that she cared by picking up the phone and asking about your day? Then pick up the phone and ask about someone's day."

"Would you love a friend who keeps confidences and is trustworthy? Then keep a confidence ."

"Would you love a friend who asked you to go shopping (or to the movies, or for a walk...) at the spur of the moment? Then ask someone to go along when you go do those things."

It's easier to stay isolated sometimes than to reach out, especially if you've been hurt or disappointed many times. I know very well. But I want to encourage you to reach out, show love and care about others.

God taught me so many things during my loneliness. I learned to be more dependent on Him. I learned to appreciate the friendship of my family more. I took a hard look at some things that weren't so wonderful about myself and really worked to change those things.

For those of you who are lonely today, know that I'm praying for you. I'm praying that God would comfort and encourage you today, and I'm praying that you will find and cultivate a beautiful friendship.

If you're not lonely...
Use this as a reminder today that so many people are lonely. Look for ways to open your circle of friends to new people. Watch for that new woman at church sitting by herself, the woman at work who eats lunch alone, or the neighbor who never seems to be invited. Reach out to someone new today, and you may be the one who receives a blessing.