To "unfriend" means to take someone off the list of contacts or friends in social media. The idea is easy to implement in a place where the friendship is virtual, but is it OK to do it in real life?

Real life, real consequences

"Unfriending" gives social networkers a simple way to cut virtual connections with someone they don't like or shouldn't be in contact with. While it's easy to do this in social media, it's not as easy to do it in real life.

In Facebook, for example, unfriending can be done with just the simple click of the "unfriend" button. Whatever the unfriended person does to reach out online can be ignored or deleted. It's as easy as that.

Real life "unfriending," on the other hand, requires more than just the willpower and the strength to click the button. Whereas in social media it can be used as a joke with little to no offence, unfriending a person in real life means saying goodbye to the friendship and all that goes along with it. This will sometimes carry with it an element of hurt.

It is OK to unfriend real-life friends

Friends, if you're worrying about whether it's OK or not OK to unfriend a person in real life, be relieved to hear this: It's actually OK. Romans 12:18 tells us,

"If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men."

Being at peace with all men doesn't mean being always friendly, warm, receptive, trusting and generous to all men. It might simply mean not having fights with others or being hostile against them. We could all do that.

People to let go of

Ask yourself. Do you have friendships or relationships that are not helping you in your walk in the Lord? Do you have any relationship that, instead of helping you grow in Christ-likeness or in the pursuit of obedience to God's Word, merely tempts you or actually pulls you to commit sin? If you have, then you have to choose to be free.

It sounds tough, but you have to decide to cut friendships with the wrong people so that you can live freely for the Lord. Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us to focus on Christ, letting go of the things that we shouldn't be carrying.

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."