You Need Friends Who Encourage You

‘A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.’

Proverbs 17:17

If you’re wise, you’ll surround yourself with people who support you emotionally and spiritually, and you can share your dreams and ideas with them. C S Lewis and J R R Tolkien were members of The Inklings, an informal literary discussion group associated with Oxford University. It comprised teachers, writers and friends who met regularly at a well-known Oxford pub to discuss passages from their favourite books as well as their own writings.

In 1936, they decided the world needed more novels that had faith and morality as their central theme. Lewis and Tolkien decided to write science fiction after realising the inferior quality of similar stories being published at the time. They literally tossed a coin to decide who would write a book on space travel versus time travel.

Tolkien got the time travel nod, but his early efforts with such a story never really worked out. Later, however, he would achieve great success with The Lord of the Rings.

Lewis wrote his famous series of novels called The Space Trilogy, and from that momentum he eventually penned The Chronicles of Narnia.

Now, you may not reach that level of success, but you’ll go further with the encouragement of true friends than you will without it. So ask yourself what’s involved in cultivating the kinds of friendships that’ll help you fulfil your God-given potential. It may mean coming out of your shell and reaching out to others. Could you encounter hurt and rejection? Sure! But you’ll succeed only if you’re willing to take that chance.

Jer 34-36, 2 Tim 3