"Then the LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your kindred, and your father's household, and go to the land I will show you." (Gen 12:1, BSB) "Twenty children can't play together for twenty years" — Yoruba Proverbs There is a cost for growth.There is an unpleasant prize to pay for expansion. We human beings are social in nature, and as a matter of fact we survive by relationships. Whenever we find ourselves in a new environment, the first thing we do is to start forming relationships around us. If we do not know the language of the people, we start making effort to learn the language. It wouldn't take long no matter how strange or foreign the place is, we would have gotten a neighbour we can chat with. A close friend we can socialize with. A favourite store we can buy our groceries from. We would have our favourite hair dresser, cobbler, mail man, etc. Given six to seven months we would have built a social support structure that will help us to cope with our environment. And if we have children, they too would adapt by having best friends, play mates, favourite teachers... and gradually and as time goes on, we would have woven a strong social nest linking us to that environment. This is an integral part of our nature. It is necessary for our survival. But it also has an adverse side effect on us: It can stop us from growing and moving forward. This is why people find it difficult to relocate and go to a new place; because by doing that they would lose their existing social comfort and structure and start afresh to build new ones in God knows where! But growth involves moving to the next level. It may not necessarily involve changing your physical location; it will certainly involve changing your "mental" position, your mindset which will invariably affect your social structure. .
I am sorry and at the same time pleased to announce to you that the new place, level and position that God is taking you, you will not be able to bring all your friends along. You are going to lose some of them. You are going to be ready to make new acquaintances. The real cost of growth is the loss of some friendship, some comfort, some convenience. But don't let that discourage you because the new place you are going is definitely better. It could be emotionally traumatic most times to lose contact with friends and even loved ones. I recall how we all cried at high school as we were graduating and parting with our friends. But the parting was necessary for us to get to our next level in life. But some people allow the attachment to deter them from moving forward. If you are going to grow in life, you will certainly lose some friends! And there is nothing wrong with that!