By Karen Friday

“I really need a friend.” 

Have you ever thought you could really use a friend? Maybe you prayed for the Lord to send you a friend in a new city, job, group or church.

Since our family spent over 35 years in full-time church ministry and lived in different towns and states, friendship became somewhat of a lifeline. So I usually prayed for at least one friend at each new place.

Have you ever prayed that the Lord would send you a friend?

Early in our marriage, we moved to a new state and church in a small farm town. Our daughter was only eighteen months old at the time.

Gracious ladies brought us dinner for a few nights and I unpacked boxes while our daughter napped. Still, I’ll never forget the Sunday when a young woman approached me after a service. 

“Do you need anything? Let me know if you need anything.” Her sentiments seemed honest and heartfelt. 

I politely thanked her and told her, No, we are fine.

But as I started to walk away, I felt the Lord nudging me to turn back around and tell her I needed a friend. With the Lord helping me to be brave, I walked toward her, then said, “I thought of something I need – I really need a friend.”

You know what? We formed a wonderful friendship and kept in touch when my family moved again. It was a God-thing.

We are created for friendship.

The enemy wants you to believe the lie that you are “fine” without friends. Or, that you and your family have each other and you don’t need friends in your community.

But it’s not true. God created you for relationship and community. First, the Lord desires that you are in relationship with him. Have you found a friend in Jesus?

Next, God intended for you to be in relationship with people. This includes family and friends. 

It’s a good thing for a husband and wife to be friends—even best friends. Yet, the Lord never intended it to stop there. Instead, making connections with other women is something God wants for you. 

Keep praying for a friend.

Perhaps it never occurred to you to pray for a friend. But you need friends as much as your husband or kids have this need. Here are some examples of when to pray for a friend. 

1.     When you move to a new neighborhood.

2.     Your family moves to a new town.

3.     If you go back into the workforce or start a new job or position.

4.     If you attend a new church.

5.     You homeschool your children.

6.     When you work from home.

7.     If you are in ministry or missions.

8.     A friend moves away or exits your life.

This list is not exhaustive, but gives you some ideas of when to pray for a friend. Listen to your heart, as it will know when you need a good friend.

Here are prayers you can pray for a friend.

Here are a few specific prayers.

Lord, thank you that you have called me friend (John 15:15). Help me to cherish my relationship with you above all others. Please send me a friend in our new town. A woman who is in relationship with you so we can mutually encourage and build each other up. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Heavenly Father, let your light shine through me and become a friend to a woman who desperately needs one. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

God, you created us to do life together, you created friendship. Direct my steps to the friends you want in my life. I desire to sharpen someone else as they sharpen me (Proverbs 27:17).

Lord, your word describes friendship as kind, honest, loving, forgiving, and how the “righteous choose their friends carefully” (Proverbs 12:26). Give me the desire and wisdom to strive for this kind of friendship, wherever I am. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Wife Step: Reflect on if you need to pray for a friend in an area of your life or if you need to pray to be that friend to another woman in her life.