No Friend Group?

As I was driving home from the gym this morning, I prayed to God asking him to give me a group of friends to belong to. 

The prayer started a lot like “mmm.. hey God, I would like some new friends” in a very subtle tone. 

I can feel the Holy Spirit asking me to tell the truth — BOLDLY. 

So I try again, asking the “perfectionism” in me to stop planning my pitch to God. He doesn’t need it. 

God, this is how I feel about not belonging in any friend groups:

• Lonely 

• Ignored 

• Not beautiful enough 

• Unimportant 

• Loser 

• Boring 

And the real question comes out “Is there something wrong with ME?” 

God gave me space to sit with this question — with a memory of my 9-year-old self sitting at the school library during lunchtime. I was not invited to hang with the popular girls but my best friend was. I don’t know how many days I sat alone by myself during lunchtime, but it’s enough to affect me as an adult today. 

For those who have an amazing group of friends, that is beautiful. 

For those, like myself, who are not part of a group,

God shaped you in the womb, He knew all about you. 

Before you saw the light of day,

He had holy plans for you:

A prophet to the nations — 

That’s what I had in mind for you. (Jeremiah 1:5)

If God’s plan is to make us a prophet to the nations, there is nothing wrong with us. 

I like to think of us like sprinkles; they are the frosting on life’s cupcake. 

We get to be the sprinkle in these individual friendships and build a special connection with each person from a different group. 

Maybe that’s exactly what God has for us in this season: no core friend group, but happy relationships. 

May we see the beauty of God’s creation in each friendship.