“And being let go, they went to their own companions…” Acts 4:23
God created us to have a relationship with Him, and He created us to have relationships with one another. Some relationships are closer than others. Some relationships go deeper than others. Our inner circle is the closest and deepest of our relationships. Those relationships are relationships of our choosing, and we must choose carefully.
The Inner Circle is for Friendship
The people in our inner circle are our companions, the people we do life with. We share ideas, thoughts, dreams, and hopes with one another. We share information, resources, time, connections, and all we have to help one another. We celebrate the good times and we comfort in the hard times. Our inner circle is made up of the relationships that challenge us, motivate us, encourage us, and strengthen us.
Proverbs 18:24 says, “A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
The Inner Circle is for Feedback
We should not stop growing as individuals. Friends reflect back to us how we are doing so we can improve ourselves. Friends challenge us to continue to keep on moving forward. Friends try to correct us if we are getting off track. Our inner circle gives us feedback to help us grow in honesty, love and transparency.
Proverbs 12:26 “The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.”
The Inner Circle is for Fighting Obstacles
We need to have a group of friends that will help us fight through anything we face. “For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.” Ecclesiastes 4:10. We can make it through anything together.
John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”
Application: In Acts 4:23 when the disciples were released, where did they go? They went to their companions. Do you have an inner circle that you go to? If so, thank God for them. If not, pray and ask God who those people could be.