Does God want friends more than he wants dedicated workers. My reflection .

If you ever find yourself in the doldrums of ministry, it may feel like you are not accomplishing much. Remember that God desires more than just servants he wants friends. . Does God Want Friends More Than Servants?

It’s a question that echoes in every seeking heart: Does God want my obedience… or my friendship? Am I merely a servant in His vast kingdom, or am I invited into something more personal — more intimate?

The answer lies in the words of Jesus Himself:

“I no longer call you servants… Instead, I have called you friends.” — John 15:15

These words mark a turning point in salvation history. Throughout the Old Testament, humanity approached God as servants — reverent, obedient, but often distant. But in Christ, something changes. The Lord of Heaven comes close, and with Him, our relationship to God is transformed.

Jesus doesn’t abolish obedience — He perfects it through love. Servants follow commands without always understanding. Friends are entrusted with the heart behind the mission. “Everything I have learned from my Father,” Jesus says, “I have made known to you.” He draws us not only into His work, but into His confidence, His mind, His life.

Saint Thomas Aquinas, the great Doctor of the Church, taught that charity — the love of God above all things — is not just a feeling but a friendship with God. It is a relationship of mutual self-giving, in which we love what God loves and live according to His purposes, not out of fear, but out of shared desire for the good.

This friendship is not sentimental. It is not casual. It is costly. It demands the surrender of our will, the reshaping of our hearts, the total offering of our lives. Yet it gives more than it asks: peace beyond understanding, joy in suffering, strength in weakness, and the promise of eternal union with God.

The saints show us this path. They began as servants but became friends — and even more, lovers of God. Their lives, shaped by divine friendship, were marked by humility, courage, and radiant love.

God does not merely want your labor. He wants your love. He does not simply seek to command you; He desires to walk with you. In Christ, He calls you friend — and that changes everything.

So yes, God still welcomes servants. But more than that, He invites us to be friends — not because we are worthy, but because He is love.