Fellowship With the World?

Joshua 24:15 tells us to “…choose you this day whom ye will serve.” This verse applies to every aspect of our lives, including our choices of friends. “Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” (James 4:4) God makes it very clear that if we want to be 100% for Him, we cannot be part of what the world is up to. He wants to be there for us through it all; however, the choice is up to us to decide just how much we sincerely desire God to be a part of our lives.

There was a time in my walk with the Lord that I was starting to feel so very alone. No one really understood me or what I was going through. At the time, I was living alone and didn’t feel very close to anyone in the church. Don’t get me wrong, we were connected in that special way at church; but outside of it, I felt very much by myself. Being the only person in my family to live in Benton Harbor and the only one going this way in the true Body of Christ, I felt very alienated even by the people that I knew cared about me.

It was also about the time that I was becoming more familiar with my workplace. The people that I worked around and for became the people that I talked with on a daily basis. I had for so long declined their invitations to parties, social gatherings, and offers to get together after a long night’s work. The more that I got to know the people that I worked with, the more I wanted to be their friends outside of work. Becoming more attached to the people I worked with than the people of God presented a difficult problem.

Something is not right when you feel more comfortable around your work or outside of church friends, than you do with the people of God. Choosing your friends is an important matter. Whether you realize it or not, people are not just people. The have motives, spirits, souls, and so on. If these people are not baptized with the Holy Ghost and seeing life through new eyes, then everything they say and do is done through the lens of this world. Keep in mind that everyone does what they do according to their perspective. We have had our blinded eyes opened to the truth and to our true purpose for being on this earth. What purpose are those without this knowledge living for? Unfortunately because of our fallen nature, the answer is – self.

Unfortunately, the red lights in my Holy Ghost were disregarded in my attempts to “fit in” and have my own group of friends. So as time went on, I would hang out with my “friends” from work. I knew that it was not a good idea and yet I continued to talk myself into it. Claiming that I was strong enough in the Lord and could handle whatever influences they had on me. Forgetting the Scripture, I Corinthians 15:33 “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners”, I felt that I was not necessarily wrong for hanging out with my non-church going friends.

Having a true enlightenment to this scripture is vital. Galatians 6:7 says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” We sow much with our words and attitudes. Remember that “…out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” (Matthew 12:34) Pay attention to the words that people of this worldly mindset use. Are they positive in their talk or negative? Do they ever encourage you in the Lord? Do they talk about how awesome service was on Sunday? Or do they talk about how awesome that party was they went to this weekend? What kind of an attitude and mindset that you hang around will influence your daily walk, whether it be for better or worse.

In an attempt to refocus my life back on God I decided to wean myself from my friends at work. I tried to do this on my own. But without a suitable substitute (and really the only true friend to replace anything of this world is Christ), I found myself talking online to people I met through the infamous chat rooms. Things really go down the slippery slope then. After some futile attempts at maintaining friends online that were not interested in church, I was going nowhere at all, neither with my longing for friendship, nor in any way with my walk with the Lord. Which led me to the whole question of, why am I going to church? What does serving the Lord really mean to me? Am I really willing to give up all that I have been taught and know is right for these people?

As my discomfort grew, God helped me realize that I would never feel completely comfortable nor be able to progress in a relationship with people outside of church and truly fulfill that deep need for a lasting and sincere friendship. As Amos 3:3 puts it, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” It’s either you adopt their beliefs or they adopt yours. I know that I had tried many times to invite them to church, and they never really came. They act interested not to offend you, but deep down they are not hungry enough for the truth to make it there. The more that I was not going to be their door to salvation, the more God began dealing with my heart about leaving them alone.

II Corinthians 6:14 reminds us “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?” God gives us a light to shine before all men. We are not to diminish that flame by letting the “unlit” people around us snuff it out. We are the ones to do good works so that others can glorify God. God chose us to do this job. It is up to us to choose Him.

In order for me to truly go on with Him, I had to give up everything that was of this world and choose Him. II Corinthians 6:17 says it well, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” That included my desire to “fit in” and be a part of what everyone around me was doing. I didn’t want to be one of those people who praise Him with my mouth in church, but not through my actions away from the people of God. If I truly want to go on with the Lord, I had to really count up what it will cost me.

When you are feeling alone, it’s hard to give up what you perceive as your only outlet to friendship. If you are honestly sincere with God, He will honestly reach out to you. God did not leave us comfortless. He said He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. He is waiting for the times when we are weak to turn to Him and see just how strong and loving He can be.

I remember one night feeling so defeated and I began to pray. I prayed and prayed; I was not going to be denied. I needed help and He was the only one that could truly give it to me. That night was one of the most wonderful and intimate moments in my walk with Him. I felt the arms of God literally wrap around me and pour love into my heart. I felt like the beloved disciple who had the privilege of laying my head on his bosom as I poured my heart out to Him. I had never felt such an incredibly personal presence of the Lord as I did that night. It is experiences like those that I know I would never have if I had not leaned on Him for the answer and support that I so desperately needed. The more that I yielded to talking with God whenever I felt discouraged and lonely instead of finding a worldly friend to talk with, the closer I grew to the Lord.