4 Amazing Ways Friends Complete Your Joy -

Friends will complete your joy because the mind of Christ is being formed in them as well as in you. When you are a believer and so are your friends, it will bring a commonality that will enrich you and overflow your joy whenever you think of them.

How is that? Sometimes my friend aggravates me!

Take a look at these two verses from the first chapter of Philippians. They are part of a prayer that Paul is praying over his friends in Philippi. (Philippians 1:1-11)

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. Philippians 1:6-7

Paul is really getting excited about his friends. They are believers who he holds dear to his heart.

Digging deeply into these verses is causing me to have a greater appreciation for my friends and for you. I hope this happens for you too!

God is Your Great Artist!

I love drawing and coloring ‘masterpieces’ in my Bible or a notebook.

In a much bigger way, God is your Great Artist!

You are His masterpiece! You are wonderfully made and if you often cut yourself down with negative self-talk, you need to stop that.

Start realizing that God is making you into something beautiful and just because you are imperfect and haven’t arrived yet, does NOT mean that you are any of those things in God’s eyes.

You are a daughter of the Most-High God!

You are perfectly imperfect!

You are special!

Do you Bible journal? Or would you love to read short devotionals from me and other believing friends? If so, join us on Facebook in our Jesus Journaling group!

4 Amazing Ways Friends Complete Your Joy

1. Thinking About Your Friends

Your joy isn’t completed with non-believers because you don’t have Jesus in common. It is having the same purpose in Christ Jesus that causes you to have joy.

You have joy in Jesus that overflows and makes it possible for you to love on others in ways you never thought possible.

When there are breaches in relationships with friends, children, or your husband, it is possible to overcome these obstacles because of Him.

We have joy in Jesus and that bubbles over into joy in others because of your common bond.

It is how your joy can be completed.

Complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Philippians 2:2

2. Praying for Your Friends

Another thing that happens when we think about our believing friends is that our joy overflows into prayer.

Maybe that doesn’t happen with you. I often forget and here is why . . .

I am overly busy filling up my life with an overflowing cup. It is good to have margin in our lives so we can think and leave time to pray.

What I imperfectly try to do is pray for the person I am thinking about. Even when I wake up in the middle of the night, I figure it is for a reason and I try to remember to pray for them.

Prayer is the biggest struggle in my walk with Jesus as it was with the disciples. Either I fall back to sleep, my mind wanders, or I entirely forget to pray!

3. Unified Desire to Serve Others

This joy that overflows our hearts to other believers cultivates a unified desire to serve others.

We aren’t saved because of anything we ever do (Titus 3:5) but our love of God creates a desire in our heart to serve others.

We serve other believers at church or by bringing a meal to someone who is sick.

Our joy unifies our desire to serve other believing friends. (Philippians 4:10)

Because our believing friends . . .

Make us glad!
Remember each other!
We are concerned for each other!

4. Partner with Friends Because of Christ

We are partnering with believing friends because Paul says, we are “partakers with me of grace.” (Philippians 1:7)

We are IN this together. Both you and your friend are on this journey through life with Jesus and that can be such an encouragement.

You can remind your friend that she is God’s priceless treasure!
You think about your friend and train yourself to remember to pray!
You have a deep desire to serve your friend and do something kind!
Because of Jesus, you are partners and in this together!

Your joy is complete and because of Jesus, you are able to love your friend and have joy in all these ways as you interact with her!

Maybe this isn’t exactly where you are in your life right now. Maybe you are struggling in a relationship with a friend or with your husband. How can I pray for you?