Are You Being Sharpened?
Have you ever read a verse for the millionth time, but for some reason, this time it just really stuck out to you? Maybe you’ve grown up hearing and reciting it, but all of a sudden it just hits deeper and feels more powerful than ever before? That happened to me recently. I was reading Proverbs 27, and verse 17 really hit me. It says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Like I said, I’m very familiar with this verse and have heard it over and over again, but I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it today after reading it. So, I wanted to bring you guys into my thought process.
Proverbs 27:17. It’s powerful, meaningful, and presents us with a challenge. I also love that it’s giving us a tangible example so that we may better understand the depth of what this means. The way iron is sharpened and shaped is through heat and friction. Iron is so tough and strong that you can only reshape it by using something of the same substance, just as tough and strong. You can’t use something that is soft or easily breakable because the iron wouldn’t budge, and what would be the point of that?
In the same way, we can only be truly reshaped, bettered, and experience growth with someone of the same strong faith. We need people in our lives that are going to sharpen us, even when it’s hard. The refining process can be painful. It’s not always easy to be the one who is being shaped and molded, nor is it always easy to be the one helping shape and mold. But what comes out of it makes that whole process purposeful. We always find ourselves stronger, better, and closer to Jesus, which is the ultimate goal, right?
Each of us have areas in life that we are strong in and areas where we could use some work. Whether it’s prayer, discipline, patience, time management, etc. Think about the areas in your life that you aren’t as strong in. Now think about the people in your friend group…are they strong in those areas? Are you guys strengthening each other in the areas the other person is weaker in? It’s so cool and such a blessing when the Lord provides us with people that are different than us. If I’m not great at time management and everyone around me is also bad at it, we would never get anywhere on time and more importantly, I would never get better at showing up at places on time! Surround yourself with people that are better than you. You will continue to get better each day.
When you take a look at your closest friends, I want you to ask yourself these questions:
1. Am I praying for them / are they praying for me?
Are we interceding for each other? When I’m in the valley, can I be confident that they will lift me up in prayer when I can’t on my own, and vice versa? Do I feel comfortable coming to them with prayer requests and letting them into that part of my life?
2. Are we keeping each other accountable?
Do we encouraging one another to do the right thing even when it’s hard? Are we holding each other up to the standard we know we can reach? Do we challenge each other to be in the Word and spend time with God daily.
3. Do we make each other better and push one another to look more like Jesus?
When one of us messes up, are we quick to point each other back to Christ? Are we calling out each other’s darkness and bringing it to light so that we may be stronger and closer to Jesus?
The main point I want us all to get out of this is that growth and sanctification is hard and can be painful. It’s not always comfortable to be called higher. It’s never fun to have your sin called out. But it’s in those very moments that we can look to the Lord and thank him for the endless love and grace he shows us. We should be praising him for those hard moments for not giving up on us, but for convicting us and placing people in our lives to make us stronger and grow our faith in him!
Challenges:
Don’t grow weary. Like I mentioned earlier, refining can be difficult. But do not give up! The result, a closer and more intimate relationship with Jesus, is worth every second!
Meet with one another regularly. Whether it’s one on one or a small group, meet consistently with the people who are “iron” in your life. It’s so important that you guys are doing life closely together so that you can continue to encourage one another.
Stay in the Word. Reading and studying the Word of God is such a huge tool for refining and sanctification. Spend time in it and truly seek to understand it.
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for this new day with new mercies. Would we draw near to you today and seek to look more like you in all that we do. We praise you for the gift of sanctification and that you place people in our lives to push us closer to you. Thank you for the gift of community. I pray for those who don’t have people in their lives who are sharpening them. Lord, you would provide them with strong, faith-filled friendships that are Christ honoring. May our eyes be focused on you and growing in our relationship with you. In Jesus’ name! Amen!