Two Months in and I'm losing my friends...

[CoolWater]

So I became a Christan about two months ago after a long and intense search for the Truth. Its so hard for me to believe how much my life has changed in just that short amount of time, in ways both uplifting and painful. Probably the most apparent change is how my friends and I have drifted apart. In such a short amount of time, we have gone such different directions. There are natural reasons for the drifting-- one got married, another a serious girlfriend, etc.-- but even on top of that a spiritual separation has opened up. And the gap between my new sensibilites and their old ways has split us like I never thought possible. I do have a sense that there is a purpose to all of this, that these trials will bring increased stability. And I know God will answer my prayer for people who understand my commitments to Him. I just hope it happens sooner than later.

I had to get that off my chest.

[jeremiah]

hey buddy,
I hear you on that. I have been there too. You have friends here though, I know that offers little solace when you are feeling let down, but remember that you are doing the best for your life. If your friends are true friends, they will come around.
peace
Jeremiah

[ZiSunka]

It's natural and we've all been there, or we are on our way to being there. You are a whole new person, so it's normal to feel and be like a stranger around your old friends--to them the new you seems like a stranger!

Don't worry, new friends are around the corner, at your church and other Christian groups. Depending on where you live, you might even make great new Christian friends here! It's likely that one of us at least lives near you!

[Jesusrocks61]

When you become part of the christian network, you might lose some friends, but you gain millions of brothers and sisters. Think of that. You've always got friends here.

[solo66 man]

I know what you are ging through my friend. I almost lost my wife when I was saved at age 46. Seven years later I lost her anyway. Some people dont even want to have lunch with me because they feel wierd about cursing and doing their usual mean, slandering, back stabbing talk with me around because I dont usually agree with them anymore.
They are still vengeful and I am not.
Life is no bed of roses, but you have God now. There is nothing better.
I always remember that life is hard but God is good.

[rekaburb]

I am going through the same thing now. Lost a girlfriend and others are walking away from me. But I know its a new beggining and new and better friends are to come
rek.

[Mr.Cheese]

You got the right idea rek. Hang in there guys!

[Blessed-one]

take the leap of faith and the courage given by God, for God will not forsake you, instead He will give you much more in the days to come.
Look not to the past but to the future, a life with Christ and many brothers and sisters in fellowship.

[ZiSunka]

I lost a fiance when I got saved. He tried to be a Christian for a few months, but in the end, he couldn't sustain a lie.

God was really looking out for me, though. Although my heart broke when my fiance broke off the engagement, about a year later he came out as gay. I am grateful to God that I didn't marry that man, then have a broken marriage later!

[seebs]

Originally posted by CoolWater
So I became a Christan about two months ago after a long and intense search for the Truth. Its so hard for me to believe how much my life has changed in just that short amount of time, in ways both uplifting and painful. Probably the most apparent change is how my friends and I have drifted apart. In such a short amount of time, we have gone such different directions. There are natural reasons for the drifting-- one got married, another a serious girlfriend, etc.-- but even on top of that a spiritual separation has opened up. And the gap between my new sensibilites and their old ways has split us like I never thought possible. I do have a sense that there is a purpose to all of this, that these trials will bring increased stability. And I know God will answer my prayer for people who understand my commitments to Him. I just hope it happens sooner than later.


Try also to be patient and tolerant with people. I have friends who aren't Christian, and they don't have any problem with my faith, because I don't try to push it at them all the time; this helps a lot. On the other hand, if your friends are habitually inclined to self-destructive behaviors, there's not much you can do.

[DaveKerwin]

dude, don't worry about those friends. like someone else said, if they are true friends they will wise up. but instead of this being a spiritual issue, it seems its more of a girl issue. they got a girl to pay attention to, so bye bye guy friends! Thats the way it goes, I have done that before in the past to some of my friends, oops.

I say go get some real frieds. Get hooked up with a group at your church and fellowhip with them. I treasure my christian friends, they are the best. But I also treasure my non christian friends. But there is an intimacy that I can only get from my christian friends. To be honest, I am friends with non believers mostly to show them my savior. I don't have that much in common with them anymore, and frienship is typically based on similar interests between people. So when you are ready, show your friends the life they are missing without Jesus Christ. In the mean time, get built up at a local church and befriend some brothers and sisters in the faith. Peace.

Dave

[kitkatsnarepadpen]

you will walk through valleys as a christian just remember that christ will carry you if you cant make it.


JIMBO :cool:

[sbbqb7n16]

"'I tell you the truth,' Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to recieve a hundred times as much in this present age...and with them persecutions... and in the age to come eternal life'"

-Mark 10:29-30

[CoolWater]

Well, I sure do appreciate all the responses to this. They all helped in making me feel a little less insane. But its amazing how God works, and how immediate and focused his responses are to prayer. About a week after I posted here, my group of friends and I all went out to eat. I wasn't so much dreading it, but I was expecting the same underlying pull between wanting to be friends and wanting nothing to do with their behavior.

But this time it was different. It was nothing they nor I did. During the dinner it just became so incredibly apparent that these are my friends, people who I love deeply, people with whom I have tight bonds, and that at the core of thses relationships my new dedication to Christ would not put the friendships in jeopardy. God showed me clearly that the friendships would hold.

And I felt blessed.

Thanks again for your thoughts.

[Gerry]

Light has no fellowship with darkness. It is natural when you come into light to seek those things in the light.

If you love your old friends, and you should, remember that Jesus suffered and died for thewm as well as for you. Tell them that. It may be that God will use the testimony of your new life style to lead them to Jesus.