Finding Godly Sisterhood

Jul 5

Photo Credit: BluDoor Studios

Have you seen this photo? I mean…. This brings tears to my eyes. I’m not talking about the pageant or the crown. I am talking about the ladies jumping up and down for this young woman. My first reaction: I want to meet her! I want to know who she is and what her story is! What a beautiful display of sisterhood.

Sisterhood has recently been added as one of the 5 points of the Miss America crown. In other words, it’s a pillar to the program and what titleholders should aspire to be through Miss America. I know many people that roll their eyes when you even mention a pageant! But can I tell you that I found some Godly beautiful sisters through Miss America? Yep! It is a sisterhood and THIS photo perfectly displays what so many young ladies get to experience through Miss America. Now….hear me out….this post is not about pageants. This is about Godly sisterhood.

Do you look at this photo and wish you had people like this cheering for you? Have you ever felt like you had no one standing behind you? What does it mean to be a Godly Sister in Christ? When it comes to happiness, I truly believe it’s not about what you do, how much money you make, what church you go to, your social media following etc. Happiness is about who you do life with. If you don’t feel like you have people behind you, in front of you, beside you and around you, life can feel empty and like a treasure hunt where you actually never find the treasure.

God wants relationship and sisterhood for you. The Bible is full of relational stories. I believe your cheerleaders and sisters are out there and I know God wants you to find them! Here are 3 ways you can foster sisterhood in your current friendships:

1. Kneel.

“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.” Romans 12:10 (NIV)

The young girl that they are cheering for in this photo is wearing the red dress. She is the winner! Look at her position. She is almost kneeling. The first and most important step in creating sisterhood is humbling yourself before God and your friends. You need to be the most humble person in the room. Take a look at the outgoing queen. She is THE QUEEN, yet her position is lower than all the others. It doesn’t matter if you are the queen, the old queen, or the first runner-up (she lost), but your first step in finding Godly sisterhood is humbling yourself. What does this mean practically? Seek out others to encourage. Let someone know you are praying for them. Be a good listener. Don’t always offer advice. Always make it about someone else.

2. Become what you desire.

Ok, so what if you made a list of everything you desired in a sister in Christ? Go ahead… Do it! What are some qualities you desire in a friend? This is my list. I want friends who cheer me on in all my wild ideas, speak truth and honesty with grace, stand with me in the hard times, follow the Holy Spirit’s prompting, are fun and spontaneous but also don’t mind doing ABSOLUTELY nothing, aren’t afraid to pray with me and over me, have no jealousy, and know exactly what to say and when to say it. Ok! Did you make your list? Now, here is what you do with that….You become the friend you desire first. You take this list and pray for God to help you become this person. Are there any stomped toes out there? Yea… I’m serious. You must first become the type of sister you desire. Think about it… if you desire all of these qualities in a friend, others do too. We all need friends like this. Let it start with us!

3. Hold the queen up.

“Encourage one another and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NLT)

I want you to look at the first-runner up in this photo (the blue dress). She has her hands placed underneath the winner. I believe she is the one keeping the winner from falling on her face. As someone who has been in that moment, you need the brace of the first-runner-up to keep you steady. Sisterhood is about holding up whomever is ahead of you. This is hard. Especially when you have dreams that you may have watched others achieve. But remember when I said, “Happiness is about who you do life with”? Accomplishments, awards, crowns… whatever you are chasing…. Is fleeting. None of it lasts. My crown is actually tarnished. But the moments in life when you get to “hold the queen up” will never tarnish. It is actually a blessing. You are a blessing to “the queen” and I believe God will bless you for it.

I know that the American culture coupled with COVID has deteriorated our friendships. Culture says that we don’t need anyone but ourselves. And maybe you have been flat out disappointed too many times by people. Don’t give up on finding the people who will jump up and down for you. Unfortunately, humans will never be perfect, but I believe these 3 things will bring you closer to the Godly sisterhood you desire. Pray for God to help you stay humble, become what you desire, and hold others up.