There are many benefits of having a mentor.  They can be a source of advice and support.  A mentor can also be someone who is committed to helping you become a better you.  But before I talk about that, I want to discuss finding a mentor in the first place.  I will tell you that finding a mentor isn't as complicated as we can make it out to be.  Often times we think that there needs to be a formal system in place for us to find a mentor.  Sometimes just talking with someone who you look up to can result in a mentor relationship.  Often, you will discover them in the least expected of places.You want to consider several things when choosing a mentor.  Obviously, they need to have time available to meet with you.  Having a regular, consistent meeting time is helpful in the beginning.  It establishes your relationship and commitment to the process.  You also need to make sure they have a good knowledge base and experience in the area you are hoping to be mentored in.For me, I was at a women's bible study that my church had organized.  A girl at my table was raving about her mentor.  After thinking about that, I just said out loud, which is not like me, "I'd like a mentor."  There happened to be a wonderful lady there who said she would love to be my mentor.  15 years later, she is still someone I can go to for advice and support.  She is a strong Christian who is a wife and mother.  I have been able to go to her for help with how to deal with everything from my immediate family to how to lead a bible study.When it comes to finding a mentor, look to those who are excelling in whatever area you are seeking a mentor.  My mentor is a Christian woman, who has raised her 4 kids to believe in Jesus as their savior.  I was not raised with that type of belief system, but it is something I now believe with my whole heart is the truth.  If you want a mentor for a career, look to those above you who have done what you are now doing.  Companies often have programs for people looking for a mentor within the company.  But if yours does not, take the time to get to know people.  Ask around.  Talk to your boss for recommendations.  You probably won't want your boss to be your mentor.  It can get awkward when you are having a rough time with something they have asked you to do.In a church setting, joining a bible study group can be a great way to meet other believers. Even if none are what you are looking for, the people within the group might know of someone who would be a good fit for you.  You might get rejected once or twice, but keep praying and asking God to lead you on the right path.If all else fails, you could start a mentorship program on your own.  This can be scary, but the benefits of having a mentor outweigh the struggles you will face.  I have never done this, but I did start my own ministry at our church.  It was short-lived, but the experience of presenting the idea to the elders and convincing them it was a good idea, was a great learning experience.  I got to know some great people and had a couple years of running my own ministry.  Since it was so small and didn't get much advertising, keeping it going was nearly impossible.  No one knew it existed.  So, if you are going to start something, be ready to promote it yourself.  It's scary and hard work, but worth it in the end.

Advice

Mentors can be a great source for advice.  From what to do, to what not to do.  When and where to do something.  How to do things, too.   When you are uncomfortable asking someone for advice, it can make it difficult to resolve an issue.  The benefits of having a mentor can be to provide wise counsel to help you come to a decision.  The added information that your mentor can add to your situation can be quite valuable.  Usually, you have picked a mentor because they have been there, done that.  They have done this before you.  My mentor had already raised her kids in a Christian home.  I needed to know how that looked in real life.  How do you handle that kid who won't listen?  What does devotional time look like?  Above and beyond that, she was a great source of biblical knowledge.Going to a mentor with questions should be one of the main benefits of having a mentor.  You need to feel comfortable enough to go to them.  They need to have the knowledge or experience to advise you.  Be aware of your choice of a mentor.  Not all are made equal.  Some will be better at it than others.  But also, give them some grace and time to get to know you as well.

Your relationship with your mentor

Developing a strong relationship with your mentor is important.  But it takes time.  Take things slow and realize you are both human beings.  Having Christ in common can be a great asset, but as a Christian, we can still benefit from a relationship with those who haven't accepted Christ yet.  We have many areas in our lives that we can benefit from having someone who has more knowledge and experience.  Make sure your relationship with your mentor is a healthy one.  We can sometimes think that just because someone is good at something, they can teach it.  Sometimes, we discover they are not great at helping others to achieve those same goals.  Finding someone who is willing to help is more important or at least as important as finding someone who is an expert in that area.

Support

Another one of the great benefits of having a mentor is that they can be a great source of support.  When you are going through a challenging time, having someone to just listen can be a great asset.  Often times we complain or gossip about the ones we love.  This can be quite hurtful.  Having a safe place to discuss your hurts, without leading to gossip can be a huge relief.  Finding a mentor that can listen and not judge is crucial.  You need a safe place to vent sometimes and if you do that with a friend or family member, you can imagine how that usually goes.  It might get back to the person you are frustrated with.  Often times a mentor can be someone who will listen and guide you to reconciliation.Reconciliation is most often the preferred outcome, so taking these issues to God is also important.  Keeping your complaints civil and constructive will allow your mentor to guide you in ways to reconcile.  As a Christian, if it is at all possible, we want to keep our relationships from becoming toxic or issues from being left unresolved.  Between a mentor and time with God, you hopefully will be able to come to a reasonable resolution to most issues.  Hopefully, without acting out while in an emotional state, which can easily cause hurt feelings.  Trust me, if I had only talked it over with my mentor before opening my mouth.  So many times, I open my mouth without thinking.  Talking it out first is so important in certain situations.  Another of the benefits of having a mentor is they can help you find your purpose.  God has a purpose for each of us.  I talk about that in this post.

Commitment

One of the most important benefits of having a mentor is that they are committed to being there for you.  Having someone to pray for you or have your back.  When you have someone willing to pray for you it can really make all the difference.  God listens to your prayers, but when two or more are gathered, there He will be.  I really think God takes our concerns to another level when we approach Him with others.  Similar to praying on your knees or prostrate.  Or even while fasting.  I don't know how these things affect our prayers exactly, but I think it humbles us and creates a deeper meaning for us.

Jesus, the ultimate mentor

Jesus was the ultimate mentor.  He led His disciples through many situations by showing them how to have compassion for others.  Having a servants heart and how to put others first, was something that Jesus accomplished during His time on earth.  He was also not shy about telling the truth.  But He told the truth with the goal of turning your heart toward Him.  If your mentor isn't willing to challenge you, they may not feel you are willing to accept their honesty.  It is hard to be open and honest sometimes, but it is the healthiest way to live.  Jesus wants us to be free from sin and talking over your sins with a mentor can start the healing process.Just remember that being honest doesn't mean saying everything that is on your mind.  We are told,

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

Romans 14:19

When we commit to speaking the truth in love, we are following Christ's example.  We want to make sure our relationship with our mentor has truth in love as a foundation.  When we take the time to get to know each other and commit to one another our ideas, dreams and hopes, we need to make sure we have the right perspective.  Talk this over with your mentor.  Agree to live by the example that Jesus set.As you can see, the benefits of having a mentor are great.  Finding the right person and agreeing to have this relationship is a big step.  If you are new to this, setting guidelines for both sides can help to establish expectations.  Expectations can be high, so having a discussion about them, in the beginning, can help alleviate a lot of the hurt that might come from unmet expectations.  Let me know what kind of experiences you have had with mentors.  If this has encouraged you, let me know that too.  My hope is that I can encourage you on your walk with the Lord.  We are to help each other to become more Christ-like.  Contact me with any questions.Sign up for my newsletter[mc4wp_form id="168"]Contact me with any questions or comments[contact-form][contact-field label="Name" type="name" required="true" /][contact-field label="Email" type="email" required="true" /][contact-field label="Website" type="url" /][contact-field label="Message" type="textarea" /][/contact-form]