10 Ways to Know Jesus Better
This devotional is part of our devotional series, 10 Ways to Know Jesus Better. Consider reading one devotional in the series each week. At the end of the article, you will find an action step to help you practically pursue knowing Jesus better.
Part 6: Get to Know Jesus’ Friends
You want to get to know Jesus better. There are many ways for you to intentionally seek Jesus, prioritize him, and pursue him. But all that takes effort, and beginning anything new alone can be difficult.
Although you have God’s Spirit living inside of you, and you may have a church community where you meet weekly with Jesus and his people, you need people who love Jesus by your side day-to-day. Listen to this bit of wisdom God gives to us in the book of Ecclesiastes:
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up…Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, 12 NIV)
Most things are not only easier, but also more enjoyable when done with a friend. Knowing Jesus is a lifelong journey. There will come times in your life when following, loving, trusting, and obeying Jesus becomes very difficult. God encourages you in his Word to find friends who love, trust, obey, and follow him too, so that you can encourage each other and grow in faith together.
In fact, God also encourages you to develop deep relationships centered around your faith in Jesus with people much older than you and with people much younger than you. Those who know and trust Jesus aren’t just friends. The Bible describes all God’s people as family (1 John 3:1). He encourages his children to consider one another not just as other followers of Jesus, but as brothers and sisters, regardless of age (1 Timothy 5:1-2).
Do you have someone in your life who knows and loves Jesus? That person is your sibling in Christ! Choose to spend time with him or her. Choose to deepen your relationships with the people that help you love Jesus more.
Seek out an older believer you hope to be like and ask them to spend intentional time with you to help you grow in your relationship with Jesus (Titus 2:2-6). Seek out a younger believer you could encourage to grow in their relationship with Jesus. Consider reading the Bible, or a book together, or commit to pray for each other.
When you consider your friends, and the people you allow to have the greatest influence on you, ask yourself this question of them: does this person help me want to know, trust, and treasure Jesus more?
Those who truly know Jesus, love other believers—however different they may be from one another (1 John 3:14). As you live life with other believers, you will find that you naturally grow to know Jesus more.
Action Step
Two steps here. First, for a day or two, ask God to reveal someone he would like you to connect more deeply with, who will help you know Jesus more. Typically, it’s wisest to choose someone of the same gender. Second, when God directs you to that person, ask that person to hang out! When you get together, ask if they would pray about spending consistent time with you to help you grow in your faith. (This will likely bring that person a lot of joy and they will feel honored that you asked them)!