When Friends Let You Down...
Friendship is an organic thing. It is something that has to be nourished so that it will grow and flourish. It's one of the blessings God has given us, and we know that because he made us to enjoy it. We are meant to deal with people on a relational level, and we learn a lot about ourselves in the process. I truly believe God works through us through our relationships. He molds and shapes our character through our interactions with others. Even toxic relationships. But that's a different post.
It's hard to see someone we love go through the hurts of a friendship gone bad. There's something about that type of situation that touches us all to the core: the disloyalty, the realization that the person you thought you had been dealing with was in fact a different person altogether, the feeling of betrayal. We've all been there, so when we see a loved one go through it, we feel their pain and we empathize.
But it's important to remember that God is there with them, in this down time, and is molding them, and shaping them, just as he did with us. He's teaching them things at a time that gives them more insight, just as he did with us. And he's giving them the grace and peace they need to get through it, just as he did with us.
So I guess the prayer should not be "Protect my loved ones from the pain that comes from losing a friend" but rather "Lord, teach my loved one all they need to learn during this time with You, and give them the insight they need to deal with the problems in this relationship." Then most of our job as a loved one is done. The only thing left to do is to be there to listen, and empathize, and pray, and listen some more.
It's hard to see someone we love go through the hurts of a friendship gone bad. There's something about that type of situation that touches us all to the core: the disloyalty, the realization that the person you thought you had been dealing with was in fact a different person altogether, the feeling of betrayal. We've all been there, so when we see a loved one go through it, we feel their pain and we empathize.
But it's important to remember that God is there with them, in this down time, and is molding them, and shaping them, just as he did with us. He's teaching them things at a time that gives them more insight, just as he did with us. And he's giving them the grace and peace they need to get through it, just as he did with us.
So I guess the prayer should not be "Protect my loved ones from the pain that comes from losing a friend" but rather "Lord, teach my loved one all they need to learn during this time with You, and give them the insight they need to deal with the problems in this relationship." Then most of our job as a loved one is done. The only thing left to do is to be there to listen, and empathize, and pray, and listen some more.
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Mom