Best Friends with a Nonbeliever?

[loolalooh]

Found the answer.

 

[Shimmie]

Found the answer.

Please share, if you can.

 

[loolalooh]

Please share, if you can.

Hey Shimmie:

One of my best friends is a nonbeliever. We've been friends for many years. He's very caring, nice, etc. He's been there for me through some tough times. I've shared my belief with him and my desire for him to be saved. I've prayed for the Lord to save him. He's still a nonbeliever at the moment.

Well, recently, he went on vacation for a couple weeks. We haven't talked during that time. During that time, I've also had a nudging to loosen ties with him. I began to wonder if he was hindering me spiritually. My question was along the lines of should I be concerned that I have such a close friendship with a nonbeliever? Am I opening myself up to spiritual harm?

The answer I got in my spirit is that it is fine to be friends with him, but not to be so close to him. I need to guard myself around him, especially during times of trials/difficulty. I notice my spirit tends to "sink" more than usual when I speak to him during these times.

P.S. We're not dating; just strictly platonic.

 

[LoveisYou]

can someone reply about being close friends with unbelievers in general

 

[Shimmie]

Hey Shimmie:

One of my best friends is a nonbeliever. We've been friends for many years. He's very caring, nice, etc. He's been there for me through some tough times. I've shared my belief with him and my desire for him to be saved. I've prayed for the Lord to save him. He's still a nonbeliever at the moment.

Well, recently, he went on vacation for a couple weeks. We haven't talked during that time. During that time, I've also had a nudging to loosen ties with him. I began to wonder if he was hindering me spiritually. My question was along the lines of should I be concerned that I have such a close friendship with a nonbeliever? Am I opening myself up to spiritual harm?

The answer I got in my spirit is that it is fine to be friends with him, but not to be so close to him. I need to guard myself around him, especially during times of trials/difficulty. I notice my spirit tends to "sink" more than usual when I speak to him during these times.

P.S. We're not dating; just strictly platonic.

Excellent ! Your testimony will be a help and a blessing to others. You'll never know just how many.

I have several friends [and family members] who are not serving the Lord, when God gives me that 'nudge', to pull away, I yield. Remember how Jesus would go away, to be alone with God the Father and pray?

"Iron sharpens Iron" ... As much as we love our friends and family, we have to pull away in order for God to 'sharpen' us.

Thanks for sharing. Your post shows so much love and strenghth to please God and not man.

God bless you for being such an open heart and blessing to everyone.

 

[loolalooh]

Excellent ! Your testimony will be a help and a blessing to others. You'll never know just how many.

I have several friends [and family members] who are not serving the Lord, when God gives me that 'nudge', to pull away, I yield. Remember how Jesus would go away, to be alone with God the Father and pray?

"Iron sharpens Iron" ... As much as we love our friends and family, we have to pull away in order for God to 'sharpen' us.

Thanks for sharing. Your post shows so much love and strenghth to please God and not man.

God bless you for being such an open heart and blessing to everyone.

Thanks for your words, Shimmie. So true.

 

[Shimmie]

can someone reply about being close friends with unbelievers in general

I'll use my 'Dance Classes' for example. There are several ladies of different races, colours, backgrounds, and after awhile you form a bond. We share the same love for our families, we share job issues, etc., and we share a common ground with our dancing and exercise, and eating habits, and 'girl stuff'.

I've been invited to their events, some I will attend, yet many I won't, as it all depends on the theme of the event. Such as I do not drink, nor do I attend parties that have questions in my spirit as to the other guests.

Example of what I will attend: Events for fundraising. Each year there is a dance event to raise money for Cancer patients. There are also events that raise money to help Dancers who have fallen on hard times. One Instructor had emergency surgery and her finances were not enough to support her being absent from work. There was an event to raise money to help her.

We share information relating to what we have in common, but at the end of the day, as a Christian, I have to maintain my stand and Christian values.

I hope this makes sense.

As Christians, we are in the world but not of it. it's obvious that not all people know the Lord, and there is no way to avoid having them walk in/out of our lives. What we can do is allow the Lord to use us as He sees fit, to bring them into His Light and to know Him as Lord.

 

[LoveisYou]

I'll use my 'Dance Classes' for example. There are several ladies of different races, colours, backgrounds, and after awhile you form a bond. We share the same love for our families, we share job issues, etc., and we share a common ground with our dancing and exercise, and eating habits, and 'girl stuff'.

I've been invited to their events, some I will attend, yet many I won't, as it all depends on the theme of the event. Such as I do not drink, nor do I attend parties that have questions in my spirit as to the other guests.

Example of what I will attend: Events for fundraising. Each year there is a dance event to raise money for Cancer patients. There are also events that raise money to help Dancers who have fallen on hard times. One Instructor had emergency surgery and her finances were not enough to support her being absent from work. There was an event to raise money to help her.

We share information relating to what we have in common, but at the end of the day, as a Christian, I have to maintain my stand and Christian values.

I hope this makes sense.

As Christians, we are in the world but not of it. it's obvious that not all people know the Lord, and there is no way to avoid having them walk in/out of our lives. What we can do is allow the Lord to use us as He sees fit, to bring them into His Light and to know Him as Lord.

Thanks Shimmie, this is a great response, and the bolded has me thinking about a lot. I was glad when I saw this thread because it's something I've been thinking about as well. Some of closest friends aren't saved, I love them dearly, but often worry about offending them with certain things I do/say. These are the same ppl from my old lifestyle so sometimes I think they don't understand the new me.

Just this past weekend, my friend did something that made me HIGHLY uncomfortable, but I didn't do or say anything because I didn't want to offend. Nevertheless, I was very annoyed and silently angry. My entire being was alert/on guard, because her actions went against everything I believed in yet I didn't want to hurt her feelings so I said nothing . Do I continue to ignore my friends in those times or.....what do you do?

 

[Shimmie]

Thanks Shimmie, this is a great response, and the bolded has me thinking about a lot. I was glad when I saw this thread because it's something I've been thinking about as well. Some of closest friends aren't saved, I love them dearly, but often worry about offending them with certain things I do/say. These are the same ppl from my old lifestyle so sometimes I think they don't understand the new me.

Just this past weekend, my friend did something that made me HIGHLY uncomfortable, but I didn't do or say anything because I didn't want to offend. Nevertheless, I was very annoyed and silently angry. My entire being was alert/on guard, because her actions went against everything I believed in yet I didn't want to hurt her feelings so I said nothing . Do I continue to ignore my friends in those times or.....what do you do?

Good Question regarding your friend.

By now, you've seen enough of my posts to know that I 'outspoken'...

Seriously, it's a case by case basis. By now, my 'friends' and family know how I feel; we've been around each other just that long.

I have friends who 'do things' that are not agreeable to our lives as Christians, such as having sex outside of marriage. I have to speak up, privately to them about it. I also have family / friends who have potty mouths, they curse like sailors. Immediately they get my rebuke. They now hesitate when around me and even apologize when they slip up.

It's hard, especially when you want to keep peace in the family and/or friendship. I will say this. You're going to find that God is pulling you away from them; not in anger or in total alienation, but God will pull you away so that He can place you with those of 'like precious faith', [other Christians], so that your heart and spirit can be strengthened by His Word.

It's draining to be with our loved ones who are pulling at our faith energies. We have to be renewed so that we have the strength to be the Light that God wants us to be to bring them to Him.

The blessing is that God will lead and guide you with these relationships. Don't feel badly when you are being pulled away. It's for your good and for their good, so that God can have His perfect work in all of us, being one with Him.

When you leave them, leave with love and keep them in prayer.

You will be a total success, afterall, 'Love is You'.

 

[LoveisYou]

Good Question regarding your friend.

By now, you've seen enough of my posts to know that I 'outspoken'...

Seriously, it's a case by case basis. By now, my 'friends' and family know how I feel; we've been around each other just that long.

I have friends who 'do things' that are not agreeable to our lives as Christians, such as having sex outside of marriage. I have to speak up, privately to them about it. I also have family / friends who have potty mouths, they curse like sailors. Immediately they get my rebuke. They now hesitate when around me and even apologize when they slip up.

It's hard, especially when you want to keep peace in the family and/or friendship. I will say this. You're going to find that God is pulling you away from them; not in anger or in total alienation, but God will pull you away so that He can place you with those of 'like precious faith', [other Christians], so that your heart and spirit can be strengthened by His Word.

It's draining to be with our loved ones who are pulling at our faith energies. We have to be renewed so that we have the strength to be the Light that God wants us to be to bring them to Him.

The blessing is that God will lead and guide you with these relationships. Don't feel badly when you are being pulled away. It's for your good and for their good, so that God can have His perfect work in all of us, being one with Him.

When you leave them, leave with love and keep them in prayer.

You will be a total success, afterall, 'Love is You'.

Thanks, I have already begun to experience the pulling away, it's hard though, very hard. Yet I am also developing close relationships with other Christians so that's great.