Two-minute read.
As a Christ follower, we have the safest place of all to find refuge, in the Savior. No matter what we lay at the foot of the cross, Jesus loved and died for us. When God’s Son took His place on the wooden beams, He already knew every ugly thing we would do. The Lord lives outside of our conventional perspective of time. He can mourn with us in the present, but also rejoice over what will happen in the future that we can’t see. When life drops us to our knees, Jesus picks us up, dusts us off, and helps us get back on our feet. When you find yourself in the pit, you quickly discover you have company, and He will never leave nor forsake you.
In the same way, we can create a safe space for our friends. Giving people a judgment-free zone to share their worries and heartaches builds trust. Gratefully, I have many friends who have opened their homes to me, giving me refuge in the storm and an ear to listen. God’s hands and feet on Earth, wrapping me in their arms and helping me heal from life’s hurts.
To create a safe space for friends, you must first open up your heart to them. When we lead in vulnerability, confessing our sins, sharing our hurts, and giving others a glimpse of our hearts, it enables them to share theirs. The Lord will use the pain we’ve experienced to minister to others. He wastes nothing. As we become comfortable telling people our stories, they will want to tell us theirs. Heart connection happens when we intertwine our tales and find that God’s the cord that binds us together.
For example, I have a friend who has transparently shared the highs and lows of her marriage with me, well before I met Ron. During my dating years, she gave me wise advice about potential mates, saving me a lot of heartache, but never judging me if I disagreed with her opinion. When I met and married Ron, her and her husband quickly became mentors to us. We openly share our struggles and frustrations, as well as our joys, with them because of the safe space they created for us.
Intimacy in relationships develops when people can share their stories vulnerably. By creating judgment-free zones for them to open up, you build a more profound friendship that continues to grow over time.
Journal Questions:
Who do you go to when you need a safe space?
In what ways have you created a safe space for friends?
How can you become more vulnerable with your friends?
Friendship Application:
Create a judgment-free zone for your friends that gives them a safe space to open up and share.
