08-20-2010, 04:39 PM
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I wrote this as a thank you to my friends and thought it might be an encouragement to others who may want to call "that special friend" of yours and tell them you love them.
I think one of the hardest things I have had to deal with in life is in regards to relationships and friendships. They are just not always easy, and sometimes they just hurt.
I have a sanguine temperament and therefore I like people. I can't really think of anyone that I don't have some sort of feelings of compassion toward. "Love your neighbour" comes easy for me. "Love your enemies" is difficult, but not all-together impossible. I am blessed with a natural born ability to stay in the present and put aside the past.
Yet, not everyone is like that.
You see, that is what makes relationships difficult. Everyone has different temperaments and each person has different habits and responses that they have learned throughout their lives. We each react differently to any given situation.
We have to embody many verses just to keep a relationship afloat.
1Peter 4:8, "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins."
Psalm 119:165, "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them."
Ephesians 4:2 - 3, "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."
Romans 14:19, "Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another."[attachment=92]
We have to yield to the Holy Spirit to maintain love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. These are essentials.
One cannot have a good relationship if bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, exist., and God commands against them because He wants unity among Christians; all Christians.
I wanted to say that because Christians should strive for peace, not enmity. We fight together against the works of the flesh and FOR the cause of Christ, BUT not every Christian can maintain a close friendship with every Christian.
Why? Not because we have ill will or malice towards one another but because it is HARD WORK being the kind of friend you should be. Friendships take grace, grit and here is the clincher: TIME. We all have to split our time between immediate and extended family, duties and ministries. Somewhere after that we have to make time to be the kind of friend we would want in return.
It is not mathematically possible to be CLOSE friends with everyone.
When you have a close friend; you rejoice with that friend, you laugh with that friend, you grieve with that friend, and you bear their burdens. (There are more attributes to a good friend than this, but for now I want to focus on the softer side of friendship.) So, how exactly can we be that kind of friend? How can we bear someone else's burdens when we can barely crawl with the weight of our own?
There is something miraculous about Galatians 6:2. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
When you call your good friend and you can hear in their voice that something is not quite right, it hurts. You FEEL their burden as well. Burdens are heavy, AND YET when we ask them about their burden and try to offer an ear, comfort, a solid place of love and reassurance and prayer for some reason it's not just their load that feels lighter, but ours as well.
I speak from experience that there are times when I just don't think I have the energy or mental strength to "reach out" and call a friend. Sometimes I don't pray for them like I should because I am discouraged about their situation. Yet, our TRUE FRIEND, our one true God "reaches out" to my heart and says, "Chin up! They need you. I will give you the strength you need." And He never falls short of His promise.
You can spot a true friend by the one who is willing to get that call at 3AM and talk for three hours until you can see hope again. They are the one who in spite of circumstances is willing to pray for you and with you. They are the one whose love reaches further than past offenses and grasps hold of you before you fall off the edge of discouragement. They care for your children, your spouse, your church and your relationship with God because they care for you. You have found your friend, and return the favor, giving thanks to God for teaching us the true meaning of Friend.