YOUR CIRCLE ~ Precious C Philip

A lot of Christians today complain that living holy is difficult, some even claim that it is impossible in our generation. But one thing I have come to realize is, you cannot successfully live a holy life if your circle is filled with people who have no value for holy living or who are not living holy.

This is what many of these Christians complaining about holy living has either failed to understand or do not want to accept. The Scripture expressly enjoins us in 2 Timothy 2:22 to "Run away from youthful lusts—pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those [believers] who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." The second part of this injunction is very important, it says, "...with those [believers] who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." 

The instruction is very clear: if you must pursue righteousness and holy living successfully, it must be with those who are also pursuing righteous and holy living. You cannot be desiring or trying to live  a holy life and surround yourself with people who do not care about holy living. It will not work. They'll never allow you to live a holy life. You cannot break the scriptures and successfully achieve what you want to achieve.

Iron sharpens iron, wood does not sharpen iron. Fire strengthens fire, water quenches fire. If your heart must be on fire for God and stay on fire for God, your circle must be filled with people who are on fire for God. That is the workable way to stay on fire for God. This just goes to show that living a holy life as a Christian in this age would be difficult if your circle is filled with people who are not living holy lives.

You cannot be striving to live free from sin: stop fornicating, drinking and smoking, stop attending nightclubs and wild parties, stop sleeping with married men, watching pornography or masturbating, yet spend 90% of your time with people who have no problem engaging in these things. It doesn't work that way. You'll only succeed to live free from sinful habits you had before you became born again when you change the people in your circle - replacing your old ungodly friends with new God-fearing friends.

Bear in mind also, that those in your circle are not limited to your friends, relatives and colleagues, but also people, celebrities and public figures you closely follow on social media. These people have humongous influence on you. If you're closely following those who are not living godly and holy on social media, you'll also find it very difficult to live a holy life. Because their posts, ideologies, beliefs, videos, pictures and teachings will impact your thinking, shape your mindset and give birth to your values in life. And since they do not value spirituality and holy living, you'll be influenced not to value it as well.

Therefore, it is not difficult nor impossible to live a holy life, it only becomes difficult or seem impossible when you have the wrong people in your circle. Today, decide to be intentional about who you let into your circle. Heed the instruction of  2 Timothy 2:22 and fill your circle with godly believers living holy, and you'll find yourself living holy with ease. 

For instance, if you're deliberating on whether to do the right thing or not when it comes to dating married men or stealing from people, you'll find that your ability to do the right thing will be weakened if you have friends who see nothing wrong with dating married men or stealing. But if your friends are those who stand against such ungodly behaviours because they're godly believers, you'll be strengthened by them to resist the temptation to do wrong.

So, choose to surround yourself henceforth with godly believers. Distance yourself from the ungodly friends you have. Get close and make friends with godly children of God. Follow godly believers on social media. Doing these things alongside praying to God and asking the Holy Spirit daily to help you live a holy life will help you to successfully live a holy life as a child of God. 

I pray for you that the boldness, the willingness, the grace, the power, and the strength to break away from ungodly friends and embrace new godly friends that will support, strengthen and help you to live a holy life rest upon you right now, in Jesus' Name.

Shalom.