Most friendships are not forever. Most are for a reason and a season. Some end on their own but others need to be deliberately ended.

This is not easy for everyone. When you are loyal and over-responsive to others, it is hard to know when it is time to end a friendship. When you are codependent and believe you must fix or change people, it is hard to let go. When you have trouble setting boundaries, it is difficult to decide to take care of yourself. When you believe God brought you together, you may think you have to stay indefinitely.

Here are signs that it may be time to end a friendship:

• The relationship isn’t enjoyable. You spend time out of obligation and find it stressful.
• The relationship is one-sided. It could be all about the other person’s needs and desires. The person talks only about themselves, takes and doesn’t give, and always wants their way.
• The relationship has nothing in common. You’ve outgrown each other. Your beliefs, likes, and/or circumstances have changed.
• The relationship has more negative than positive.
• The relationship is emotionally, financially, physically, spiritually, or mentally harmful to you or your family. You do not have to participate in harmful things. You have a right to protect yourself and your family.
• The relationship is full of drama.

 
A friendship doesn’t have to be forever. It is okay to end it when it isn’t working, but how do you do that?

• Stop initiating.
• Stop responding.
• Speak the truth.
• Set a boundary.

 
You can do what is best for you, depending on the circumstances in the relationship and your tolerance. It isn’t comfortable, especially if it isn’t something you are used to doing, but it is allowable.
 

Relationship Devotional Prayer

 
God,
 
Help me to know when it is time to end a friendship. I want to invest my time in mutually beneficial relationships.
 

Relationship Devotional Challenge

• Think of one or more of your friendships.
• Review the signs that it is time to end a friendship.
• Do any apply to this friendship?

Scripture Meditation

 
Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 (NIV)

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
 
Acts 15:36–41 (NIV)

Sometime later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.