Who will carry you?

“Therefore I (Apostle Paul), the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.”

Ephesians 4:1

This Got My Attention

I recently reconnected with a friend from college. It’s been 30+ years since I have seen or spoken with him. He is a true believer but got entangled in a sin that caused his wife to divorce him after 20+ years. His kids will not even talk to him. It’s a sad situation and I feel really bad for him. What went wrong? Part of the answer is a lack of true friendship and accountability to keep him walking in a manner worthy of his calling. We were created for relationships and doing life together.

A Simple Point and Good Advice

One thing I have learned to say in situations like this is, “Except for the grace of God, there go I.” It is very important to be humble in my blessings while also encouraging others to walk in a manner worthy of Him who has called us.

The Truth

In some studies, one of the top five deathbed regrets is: “I wish I’d stayed in touch with my friends.”

Don’t let life get so busy that you end up with the common regrets of the dying. Don’t end life wishing you had stayed in touch.

What new friendships are you choosing? What current friendships are you forging? What old friendships are you renewing and strengthening?

Remember the statement by Craig Groeschel: Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future. We need solid friendships to keep us on course.

Of course, it is also important to walk away from some friendships if they refuse to follow God and keep His commands. No one aspires to mediocrity. Greatness is something we plan for. But it is easy to drift if we do not keep a watchful eye on the horizon. We can and should continue to pray for those individuals that have chosen another path.

Busy and Rewarding

We are already three weeks into 2026. If you haven’t reviewed your Life Plan in a while, now would be a great time to look it over and update it. What kind of friend are you becoming? Are you on track for your eulogy to become true? Are you staying connected to your “pallbearer challenge” six friends?

Apply It

Who can you visit, call, text, or email to connect and encourage?

Is there an old friend we need to reconnect with or is there an opportunity to make a new friend?

I regret that I didn’t stay connected to my friend. But I’m not done living yet, so I put a reminder on my calendar to call him this week to be a friend. What about you?

Forge Friendships,

Paul Hopp

MD5 Facilitator