See, I'm a planner. I need to know who God wants me to be seriously investing in (in regards to friendships) so that I can be growing with the people that are actually going to be in my life 30 years from now. Part of this is because of my parents. It has always been my desire to dupliciate, in a sense, what my parents have developed. Not only do they "know everybody" (which was really annoying when I was younger, because we couldn't even go out of town without running into people that they knew), but they have friends, today, who have been their friends since before they were married. They have friends with whom they have experienced life's joys, triumphs, heartache and struggles. So, I admit it. This is what I have always wanted for my hubby and myself. There have been some events, as of late, that have really caused me to question who it is that God has planned for us to be "30-years-from-now-friends" with.
Yet, in the midst of my mind racing and my heart searching for these answers, God has brought me peace.
There have been some people who I have spent time with lately who just seem to get me. They are people with whom I feel comfortable and can share whatever there is to share...good, bad, or ugly. It is a huge blessing to not only be experiencing these deepening relationships, but to also recognize that they are answers from God. I spent Thursday with a relatively new friend and her son. When I left her house, I thanked God for the friend she already is to me.
Tonight, we had dinner and played games with our friends, H&K. While we were together, I found myself thinking about our likemindedness. (Is that a word? I'm sure the English teacher, K, can let me know.) I feel extremely blessed to have the freedom to pursue friendships that are healthy, that cause me to grow and that are good for my heart. Blessed am I to have been in the company of friends who truly have a heart to follow the Holy Spirit's prompting. Blessed am I to know and be known by such friends.
I've searched for God's direction, for His answer to my question: "Who have YOU designed to be our lifelong friends, our 'walk-with-us-and-we'll-walk-with-you-through-the-good-and-the-bad-times' friends? As I was thinking and praying about this question a few weeks ago, the song "Come Home Running" began to play. The words struck me, and I realized God was telling me that He has a perfect plan for me, our life, and for our friendships. He knew before the beginning of time who He had designed to walk with us through life--to fulfill those priceless friendship roles--to love us as we are and to challenge us to become all He wants us to be. And, you know what? I trust His judgment. And I thank Him for the friendships He has blessed us with. Here are the words from the song, "Come Home Running":
Come home running
His arms are open wide
His name is Jesus
And He understands
HE is the answer
You are looking for
So come home running
Just as you are
**Disclaimer: This post was not meant to, in any way, imply that I am not blessed by friendships that God has put in my life for just a moment or season. I do feel blessed by those relationships, too.**
4 comments:
Rach, I just want to encourage you to be careful not to miss out on the many blessings God has in bringing frienships that aren't "life long" friends...I believe He wants us to invest in so much more than just friends that will be around us forever....then again, how can we ever know that anyone (including family, our husbands, our kids) will be in our lives for more than tomorrow? God calls us not to worry about tomorrow but worry about today and I just don't want you to miss out on being able to bless someone else or invest in them even though they may only be in your life for 6 months....they can still come along side you and Mark and truly have a life long impact even if they are just around for a short season. I think your parents are extremely lucky and blessed to have so many friends that have been in their lives for so many years...I think that is more rare than common.
I know one thing for certain....I am grateful for our friendship and they time we have had together the last handfull of years and I know it's changing due to life circumstances, geography, etc. but I am so very thankful for the support you have been to me!
Chels, Thanks for your comment. Perhaps I should have put a disclaimer on my post. I didn't, in any way, intend for my post to indicate that I don't appreciate the friendships that are not "lifelong" ones. I just was trying to convey that the area in friendships where I had been struggling was in the area of "lifelong" friends. I do believe that there are friends for a moment, for a season, and for life. I didn't mean to discount the friendships that I have for moments or seasons. They are precious to me, too. I just haven't felt like that has been a struggle for me like the "forever" ones have been. I am certainly investing in friendships that I assume may be just for the moment or for the season. But, then, again, those may very well turn into lifelong ones without me realizing it would be so. My point was that I am not so worried about tomorrow (the future) regarding needing to figure out who God has planned to fill those roles because I know He has that figured out already. And, I was specifically feeling blessed by the friendships that are deepening in my life and seem to be an answer to that prayer of mine.
what'd we figure the other day?? 13 years and counting? so thankful for you!!
what'd we figure the other day?? 13 years and counting? so thankful for you!!
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