5 Ways to Ditch Unhealthy Friendships

Letting go of any friendship is hard, yet we must let go of unhealthy friendships. If you're reading this, you probably already know that you're in an unhealthy friendship. It is vital that you let go of this unhealthy friendship as it will only harm your own well-being, physical health and emotional health. If you're struggling to let go of unhealthy friendships, here are five ways to start releasing what was:

1. Let go of unforgiveness

The first way to let go of unhealthy friendships is to not cling to unforgiveness. It's easy to be unforgiving after choosing to break up with a friendship, but we have to let go of how they hurt us. We can only really move forward if we forgive the other. Ephesians 4:32 tells us, "Be kind and merciful to one another, forgiving one another, as in Christ God has forgiven you." Forgiving someone does not mean that what they did is "ok". On the contrary, forgiveness means that you choose to entrust the situation to God.

Toxic friendships will only cause long term pain. I have personally been involved in multiple unhealthy friendships, and they have only caused me emotional problems and a lot of pain. Instead of trying to hold back those who use us, lie to us, or only come when it suits you, you must walk away, choose to forgive, and move on. Not forgiving will only weigh you down and keep you from moving on with your life. No matter how long you've been friends with someone, if the friendship goes sour, it's time to let go. It's not false; it's pretty healthy to let go of unhealthy friendships. And to truly let go, we must allow forgiveness into our hearts.

2. Invest in healthy friendships

A second way to let go of unhealthy friendships is to invest in healthy friendships. Instead of choosing to spend time in an unhealthy friendship, choose to invest more time in your healthy friendships. If you don't have friends outside of this unhealthy friendship, try looking for new ones at school, work, or church. Pray for God to help you find friends who love the Lord, and He will help you. Investing in healthy relationships will be the catalyst for positive change not only in your friendships but also in your life.

Everyone deserves healthy friendships, because we should all have friends to turn to for help, advice, and a shoulder to cry on. God did not create us to be alone. He created us to be in community with others and to develop friendships with others. By investing in healthy friendships, you can have a better view of others, the world, and yourself. More than not, if a person is involved in an unhealthy friendship, they will have a negative image of themselves and others. By investing in healthy friendships, a person will be able to grow and flourish.

3. Spend time with God

A third way to let go of unhealthy friendships is to spend time with God. Of all the things I've listed in this article, this is probably the most overlooked way to get rid of unhealthy friendships, when it should be our first resort. It is a fact that we will miss human beings because we have all fallen (Romans 3:23). God is our best friend, and He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Even if we are alone for a while after giving up an unhealthy friendship, we are never really alone because God is always with us.

Choose to spend time with God and consult Him in prayer. Ask for his help and grace as you let go of this unhealthy friendship. The Lord does not want you to get involved in unhealthy friendships because He knows they will harm your own well-being. Spend time with God and choose to focus on Him and His Word. You will be better equipped to let go of an unhealthy friendship if you spend time with God through an active prayer life and daily Bible reading.

4. Allow yourself to cry

A fourth way to let go of unhealthy friendships is to allow yourself to cry. Often, we only think about grieving after having physically lost a loved one, yet we can grieve after the end of a friendship. Even if the friendship was unhealthy, there were probably many happy memories in the past. Because of past memories, it can hurt to let go, but allowing yourself to grieve is crucial. There is no specific timeframe for grieving, as you can take all the time you need.

By taking the time to grieve, you can slowly let go of unhealthy friendships. It's important during the grieving process that you don't get caught up in the friendship because if...