Frenemies

There was a teen television movie that came out in 2012 called “Frenemies”.  Frenemies are friends that go from friends to enemies and back again.  Repeatedly.  This is a common occurrence in the teenage years.  I’ve never watched the film, but I find the title interesting.  I wonder how many of us are God’s frenemies?

It’s easy to see the enemies of God in the world today.  There are those who blatantly refuse Him, curse Him, and fight against His followers.  That’s not us, of course!  But who does the Bible say are His enemies?

“…Do you not know that being the world’s friend is being God’s enemy?…”   James 4:4

Wow.  An enemy is one who is antagonistic or hostile toward another.  A friend is a favored companion.  So now, what does it mean to be a friend to the world?  In this passage, the “world” is earth and its order. Another way to put it is the natural order of things without God.  As humans we have a lot of natural tendencies such as reasoning, questioning, self-reliance, etc.  God created us with all these inclinations, but without having surrendered them to Him, we follow the way of the world.  We become the world’s friend by choosing it’s ways rather than God’s ways.

 

That scripture in James starts out with “You are like unfaithful wives – having illicit love affairs with the world and breaking your marriage vow to God”

Ouch.  When we love the ways and things of this world more than Him, we become His enemy.  When the things of this world get more of our time and attention than He does, we become His enemy.  When our own ways take precedence over His ways and His leading in our lives, we become His enemy.

We are to trust in Him more than our own natural inclinations.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  Acknowledge Him in all your ways and He will direct your paths.”  Proverbs 3:5-6

Israel Houghton has a wonderful praise song “I Am A Friend of God”.  I love singing this song, but today I am asking myself if I have truly been His friend?  I want to be, but I must confess, based on the definition of “frenemies”, that sounds more like me.  Loving God but then pursuing my own way.  Letting the busy-ness of this life and all there is to do take more of my time and attention than what I give to Him.  I want to live this life full of faith in Him, rejecting all that draws me away from making Him my first love each and every moment of each and every day.

Let’s stop being God’s frenemies and commit to be His true friends – His favored companions!!