Friends With Benefits

We live in a culture with a high tolerance for ambiguity. From our fear of calling things as black-and-white, we’ve become a society that’s comfortable living in the gray.

While that may be good and acceptable in some aspects of life, this lack of certainty has seeped into the way we do relationships. And it’s causing some major damage.

One specific way we see this ambiguity played out is within the context of our “friendships” with the opposite sex. I hear from so many people who are broken, confused and paralyzed in their ability to trust simply due to the confusion they’ve experienced as a result of the friends with benefits epidemic.

Friends by day, and make out partners by night. No clear direction of where the relationship is headed, or if there’s even really a relationship at all. Free to call themselves “single,” yet completely attached to a relationship that sometimes feels like an addiction.

Lust, sex, and physical passion—masked behind the normalcy and innocence of a “friendship.” And believe it or not, it’s a culture that’s quickly seeping into our churches. According to a recent Gallup poll, 80 percent of young, unmarried Christians have had sex.

It’s a problem that’s hurting the body of Christ by severing community and hindering true friendship. By straddling the fence, the friends with benefits relationship destroys our ability to experience true intimacy within the context of a friendship and robs us of the joy of engaging in a healthy romantic relationship.

If you ever find yourself caught in the ambiguity of a friends with benefits relationship, maybe it’s time to ask yourself who this relationship is actually benefiting. Here are some things to consider:

1. When you start a relationship with no boundaries–you usually stay there.

One thing that defines a friends with benefits relationship is the fact that it’s lacking boundaries. The ambiguity and unknowns guarantee that there’s no title, no rules and no commitment—so everything goes. You can make out today, “sext” tomorrow and be out on a date with someone else the next day.

The problem in relationships like this is that they don’t magically turn into healthy relationships along the way. When you start a game with no rules, it’s really hard to go back and play by the rules.

God calls us to engage in relationships that are healthy, edifying and uplifting. All throughout Scripture we’re challenged to honor one another and honor Him by setting limits with each and every interaction.

2. When you don't expect commitment, you sell your own value short.

A huge problem in the friends with benefits culture is that you learn to give, and give, and give with no expectation or understanding of what you’ll get in return.

You give of yourself, your body, your time and your emotions without requiring a commitment. When it comes to relationships, commitment is the price to pay—the more you give, the more you should receive.

We are all highly valued–and that value has been determined by God. But friends with benefits encourages you to give for free and creates an atmosphere that fuels selfishness, disrespect and zero responsibility.

Healthy relationships require you to take ownership of your choices—and that always starts with clear commitment.

3. The physical has the power to impact the emotional and skew the rational.

We’re made to bond during physical intimacy. Whether it be a hug, a kiss or sex, our bodies are wired to release chemicals during physical intimacy that make us feel connected to the person we’re with.

That’s a really amazing thing, but it can be a really confusing thing when your mind is telling you you’re friends and your emotions are telling you something far different.

When you create a relationship that’s built on the physical, your emotions will always follow suit. But the thing is, emotions can’t always be trusted.

If you’ve decided to be just “friends” with someone, or they’ve chosen to be “friends” with you, there’s probably a good reason. Bringing in the physical will only introduce confusion and cause you to second-guess your rational thinking. That physical and emotional connection will cause you to keep coming back for more—until you find yourself in an extremely unhealthy and dangerous cycle that can leave you feeling paralyzed, stuck, and unable to move forward.

God calls us to guard our sexual interactions for a reason—because He knows how powerful those physical interactions can be.

4. Ambiguity sets you up for heartbreak.

No matter how you do it, when it comes to friends with benefits, someone will always leave hurt.

The very nature of giving without knowing what you will receive sets you up for some major disappointment.

By our very nature as humans we are wired for the experience of “give-and-take.” Go to any store, purchase any item, or interact with any human being and you’ll notice a pattern: I give something, and I get something else in return. There’s a healthy balance in that kind of interaction that leaves us feeling satisfied.

But when you engage in a relationship where you give with no commitment in return, you’re setting yourself up for some major hurt and frustration, because you’re setting yourself up to lose in the end.

No matter who you are or what you’ve been through, you’re worth far more than the pain of a one-way relationship. You owe it to yourself to embrace your God-given value, to ask for more, and to expect great things in your life and relationships.

Take ownership of the choices you make. And don’t ever blur the lines in a relationship—because the shades of gray will always disappoint.

Jesus loves you so much and you need Him in your life as your Lord and Saviour.