And love you enough to have those hard conversations.
Because a friend who loves you and who loves Jesus knows you’re not always perfect, and at times they want to push you deeper in your faith more than they want to tell you what you want to hear.
And that’s hard. But this is the type of friend we need.
2. A mentor.
Mentors are a little different from friends. They’re usually someone who’s a few years older. Someone who’s a couple steps ahead in their life, career and relationship with Jesus. Someone whose life you admire and a model for where you want to be in the future.
Mentors provide leadership.
They help you avoid the mistakes they may have made.
Give you confidence.
Offer guidance.
The best mentors invite you to learn from them, no strings attached.
Meet with or talk to your mentor every few weeks, once a month or every couple of months. Share about the season you’re walking through, but even more important than that, listen. Just listen to what they have to say, and I guarantee you’ll come away more prepared to handle whatever circumstances you’re facing.
3. A Christian counselor.
I hate to tell you, but you have issues. You’re pretty messed up. It might sound cliche, but find a counselor. A Christian counselor is able to look at your life from a godly, unbiased perspective and offer healing in a way not many people can.
I know for myself finding a Christian counselor has been huge. This person has a way of dealing with my crap like no one else can, and is not only able to listen to me, but is also equipped to show me ways to heal.
Even if you’re not struggling with a specific problem or dealing with anxiety or depression right now, I would still recommend going to see a Christian counselor and doing so regularly. It’s better to address the symptoms before they become a full-blown sickness.
4. Jesus.
No matter how many friends, mentors or counselors we have in our life, we need Jesus above everyone else. In Jesus, we have no better friend. He has to be at the center if we ever hope to find healing and growth in the middle of crazy seasons.
Talk to him.
Confide in him.
Cry out to him.
Depend on him.
Find joy in him.
Look to him for peace.
Just be real with Jesus, and trust that he’s there in whatever season you’re in right now. Make him a part of your day, every day.
We all need these four people in our lives, no matter the season: a friend who loves you and loves Jesus, a mentor, a Christian counselor, and most importantly, Jesus.
Do you have these four people in your own life? Is one or more missing? Is there a fifth person you need in your life?
We all go through hard seasons, but with these four faithful friends, we can walk through each and every season that comes our way, growing stronger in our relationship with Jesus despite the circumstances.
This article originally appeared here.
