When Friendship Drags You Down

Some friendships don't destroy us all at once. They slowly, quietly pull us away from who we are. Faith starts to seem like "too much." The boundaries you set become the butt of jokes. You start feeling ashamed of things that used to fill you with joy.

This is hard to say out loud, because often these people are dear to you. They're not soap-opera villains — they're real people with whom you share history, affection, memories. But affection isn't the same as edification.

There's a difference between being a light in the darkness and being snuffed out by it. You can love someone and still recognize that the closeness is doing you harm. Loving someone doesn't mean losing yourself.

Bring the name of Jesus into this situation. Ask for wisdom. Sometimes God asks you to step back; sometimes He uses you as a righteous influence in that circle. Only He knows. But the first step is being honest with yourself about what's really happening.