A godly mentor can be hard to find. If you have had a godly mentor in the past, you know how valuable they are. They are able to disciple you in the Lord as well as help you grow in your relationship with Him.
Many people think it is somehow a weakness to need a mentor, but it is not. It is ideal for everyone to have a mentor because it can help them in their Christian walk. Even though not everyone has a godly mentor, it is important to have one. They can help you in many ways and direct you back to Jesus.
Godly mentors are individuals who have walked through difficult times and have come out on the other side, as refined by fire. A godly mentor is able to equip you with what you need in order to grow in your relationship with Jesus, build your faith to be stronger, and help you as you deal with life’s challenges.
A godly mentor is someone you can turn to, ask questions, and receive support. Your godly mentor is someone you will trust and they in turn will be able to help you with the struggles you are facing. Whether the struggle is a sin problem or needing help in different areas of understanding the Bible, your godly mentor will be able to help.
God doesn’t want to walk this life alone. He wants you to have others in your life who can help you, guide you, and point you back to Him.
Throughout our lives, we may have many godly mentors, but what is important is that we strive to consistently have at least one godly mentor in our lives. There may be times when we don’t have one, yet we might find these are the times that we struggle the most.
Even if you feel as though you are not struggling right now, know that a godly mentor is beneficial to have. With time, you may also become someone’s mentor and it is good to have an example laid out for you.
If you are interested in looking more into finding a godly mentor, you have come to the right place.
When you are trying to find a godly mentor, there are many things you need to look for. Just because a person goes to your church doesn’t mean they are the right fit for you. Rather than choosing the first person you see at church, try to look for a few of these qualities.
Here are 5 of these qualities to look for in a godly mentor.
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1. Look for a Mature Christian
One thing to look for in a godly mentor is if they are a mature Christian. A mature Christian will be able to help you in your walk with Christ in many ways. He or she will be able to disciple you, teach you life lessons in the Lord, and give you godly advice.
If you choose a Christian who is not mature, they will not be able to be the best mentor for you. You need someone older and wiser, with meaningful experience walking with Christ, going against the sinful flesh, and living in accordance with the Bible.
I had a godly mentor while I was in college who was my missions professor. He moved away after retirement and we keep in contact sometimes; however, it is not the same as when he was my mentor at college. Maybe you also had a godly mentor, but they moved away or you fell out of contact. You can try to reconnect with them or you can try to find someone else closer to where you live. Pray for God’s guidance and He will be able to help you find the right godly mentor.
The godly mentor I had in college helped me make several major decisions while I was in college. He inspired me to do mission work as well as encouraged me to become a missionary. When nobody else believed in me, he did.
I don’t know if he knew how much that meant to me, but it gave me hope in times of uncertainty. He and his wife were crucial in my discipleship and in my growth as a Christian.
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2. Look for a Faithful Follower of Christ
The second thing to look for in a godly mentor is if they are a faithful follower of Christ. If they are not a faithful follower of Christ, they will be of no benefit to you.
In order to be a faithful Christian, you have to apply the teachings of the Bible in your life and live in accordance with it. The Lord wants us to follow Him faithfully and never turn our backs on Him, because He will never turn His back on us.
A faithful follower of Christ will be active in reading the Bible, prayer, and helping other believers. Through reading the Bible, they will be knowledgeable about what God says and know how to apply it to their lives.
Similarly, a godly mentor will be active in prayer as this is the way we communicate with God. They will be active in praying for others as well as their own needs. Praising and worshipping God will be included in their prayers because they love Him.
In the same way, a godly mentor will be constantly trying to help other believers. Even if it causes them an inconvenience, they will still go out of their way to help their fellow brother or sister in Christ.
You can tell a lot about a person by the way they treat others. If they are not active in Bible reading, they do not pray, and they are not prone to helping others, it would be best to look elsewhere for a godly mentor.
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3. Look for Someone the Same Sex As You
A third thing to look for in a godly mentor is that they are the same sex as you.
This helps for many reasons, especially if you are close in age. While ideally, your mentor should be at least ten or twenty years older than you are, sometimes it does not always work out like this. If your mentor is close to your age, make sure they are the same sex as you. If they are not, it might cause you to develop feelings for them or vice versa.
A godly mentor is supposed to disciple you, give you helpful advice, and help you grow in your walk with Christ. This will not be able to happen if you are both romantically interested in each other. Try to find a godly mentor who is the same sex as you and is many years older than yourself.
Individuals who are married, single, divorced, widowed, have kids, or don’t could all be great candidates to be your mentor. Not everyone will get married during their life, yet anyone who is a mature Christian should have the opportunity to be a mentor to a younger believer. God wants us to build each other up, which can be done through mentorship (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
Keep this in mind when you are looking for a godly mentor. It is understandable that not everyone will be able to find an older mentor, but it is important that you keep your headspace in the right place.
The purpose of finding a godly mentor is to find someone who can help guide, teach, and disciple you in the Lord. You should not be looking for a potential partner or your next best friend in your godly mentor.
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4. Look for Someone Who Lives in Accordance with the Bible
A fourth thing to look for in a godly mentor is if they live in accordance with the Bible.
As the Bible tells us, we cannot only read the Bible—we have to do as it says (James 1:22-25). When you are looking for a godly mentor, you need to ensure that they are living in accordance with what the Bible says. They don’t need to be someone who lives in accordance with the world. If they live in accordance with the world, they are not going to be able to help you in your walk with the Lord.
Living in accordance with the Bible means that they follow Jesus, obey His commands, and practice evangelism. The Bible is our ultimate guidebook and contains everything we need in order to live a holy life (2 Timothy 3:16-17). If your godly mentor is living in accordance with the Bible, they are showing their dedication to Christ as well as their desire to obey the Holy Spirit rather than the sinful flesh. You need to have a mentor who lives in accordance with the Bible because if they don’t, they will only lead you astray.
If you ever find that your mentor is leading you astray or promoting sin, it is good to step away. In no way is this person qualified to mentor you if they are not following Jesus themselves. Kindly explain to them why you are stepping away from being mentored by them and encourage them to talk with God in prayer. Praying for them will also be helpful as prayer is much more powerful than we think. After you have done this, try your best to find a new godly mentor who can truly help you in your walk with Christ.
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5. Look for a Person Who Loves the Lord
A fifth thing to look for in a godly mentor is that they are a person who loves the Lord. If they do not love the Lord, they have no right to be a mentor to anyone. Sadly, many individuals within the church have a cold and calloused heart. They no longer love Jesus as they used to. Just because someone is going to church does not mean they are an actual Christian. Rather, what matters is if they have placed faith in the Lord and love Him with all their heart (Mark 12:30).
A godly mentor would love Jesus and want to do the things that please Him. If you have seen someone who goes out of their way to show Jesus’ love to others and you can really see the love they have for Jesus in their actions, you know they would be a great potential godly mentor.
A mentor who loves the Lord with all their heart, mind, body, and soul will be able to help you also live out the love of Christ in your own life. Godly mentors always love the Lord because He is the most important person in their life. This will be shown clearly in their life as you search out a godly mentor.
Loving the Lord is more than what you say—it is what you do. Through their life, you will be able to see the love of Jesus in their hearts. A person who loves the Lord does not do the things that bring His Name shame. Rather, the person who loves the Lord seeks to glorify Him in all areas of life. A godly mentor will do just this and he or she will help you do the same.
Five things to look for in a godly mentor include the individual being a mature Christian, a faithful follower of Christ, someone who is the same sex as you, someone who lives in accordance with the Bible, and a person who loves the Lord.
Pray and faithfully ask God to bring such an individual into your life. God wants you to grow spiritually way more than even you do!
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Originally published Thursday, 08 February 2024.