When we make a choice to follow God with all of our hearts, all of our minds, and all of our strengths, not everyone around us will be happy about it. Not everyone who sees you get saved will like it. You may have friends who will disagree with your beliefs and try to get you to step away from following Christ. You may have people who you once called friends call you names to your face or behind your back, or they may say some hurtful things such as "you've seriously changed dude. I thought I knew you."
The first response to that should be, "yes, I have changed, for the better. Thank you for noticing." If someone is upset over you finding true joy and peace in life, are they your friend? If someone wants to ruin your personal relationship with God, is that a good friend? Much less, does the relationship even involve them? Would a true friend abandon you because you have a different interest than them?
Sometimes, God allows people to drift out of your life, and that is alright. Sometimes certain people need to drift away. Not everyone can stay in your life forever. Sometimes people come in for a season to help get you where you need to go; and sometimes some people should not have even been allowed into your life. You have to examine your friendship. Stop thinking about how long you have been friends for, because time means nothing in the end. Figure out if they are actually your friends or if they are just sticking around hurting you.
I am not saying drop any friend that is not a Christian. In fact, I have many friends that are not Christians and we get along fine. If I respect them and they respect me, there is no issue; but that is the key. I have had friends that are Christians that are not in my life anymore as well as non-believing friends that are not in my life either. Not everyone who is a Christian must stay. Look at who they are to you and why. You say that they are your best friend. Why? Is it because of what they have done or who they will become? If you are friends with someone because you owe them, that is not a solid friendship. That is a relationship standing on a debt. If you are friends with someone because of who or what they will become some day, that is a shallow relationship that is not worth up keeping. It all comes down to why you are keeping this person in your life and if they are worth keeping around.
You should be friends with someone because of who they are to you. You should be friends with someone because they are your friend; not because you feel like you owe them, or because of who or what they will become, or because you feel that you owe them, or because you have known them for a long period of time. None of those things matter.
Jesus calls us His friend (John15:15) and we have nothing to offer Him that He does not already own. He is friends with us because He wants to be; not because He owes us or because we owe Him, or because He wants to be a part of the big famous star that we will become. He loves us for us, and there are no strings attached. His love is so much greater because it is unconditional. It will not fade away or diminish. He will love us no matter what.
Some people will try to leave you because you are a Christian. It will hurt, but remember Proverbs 18:24. "One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother." No matter how people hurt you, remember than Christ will never abandon you or hurt you. He loves you and will always be with you. So if your friends begin to walk away, remember that you have Christ on your side. Stay strong, for you have a friend that sticks closer than a brother.
-D
This is an amazing post.
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