O me of little faith

Friends are gifts from God. I think my mom had a picture frame or quilted frame with that exact quote on it. I always found it to be somewhat cheesy. Of course, no one is going to come out say friends are a curse, but aren't friends sometimes more trouble than they are worth? Sadly, I used to be of that mindset. I would listen to my sister and brother-in-law talk about the numerous relationships they established while in Nashville, and how much they would miss them once they moved to wherever God wanted them. While I was happy for them, I did think they were a being a little bit over-the-top about the quantity of quality relationships they had. I mean how many close friends does someone need? Thankfully, God has used this year to remind me of how He created me to be in relationship with other people, not a select few.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the fruits of having a close group of friends in close proximity to me this year. I can get together with them at a moments notice whether for encouragement and/or prayer, or for the purpose of fellowship. It's something I sorely missed having last (no offense mom and dad). I know they have helped me grow in ways I couldn't have imagined, and hopefully I have been able to do the same for them. I am realizing that one of the criticisms I had of my sister and her husband is now one of the aspects I enjoy the most about living where I am.

Recently, I have been able to do a good job of convincing myself how everything I just mentioned is going to change. New relationships forming, marriages happening, jobs switching, and other realities of life have made things somewhat different than they were in the beginning of the year. I have had less time with certain groups of friends, which has brought back some of those lonely feelings I struggled with so often last year. As I have had more time to myself, I have been convincing myself how much things will be different. Being the dramatic person that I am, I was successfully able to say with absolute certainty, "it might be time to start looking for new friends," or "maybe I won't be out here as long as I thought." First off, neither of those are wrong. I should be continually looking to add relationships where I can grow with others. I should also be willing to not be "so grounded" that I refuse to let God be the one leading. However, the framework of these statements says a lot about my trust in God's provision. Truth be told, I think God may be showing me how I still tend to take a blessing of His and elevate it higher than He designed it for

Even in the midst of this lesson, God remains faithful to me. He is showing me how limited my faith is by having the very friends I was convinced would be lost forever pour themselves out to me. Just today alone, I have been invited to play games, eat dinner, eat breakfast, watch Lost, and, even, partake in a team triathlon in May (I would be the swimming leg of course). If that's not a slap in the face of my faith in God and my friends, I am afraid of what might be coming. Sure, the ebbs and flows of life will alter relationships, but our God will sustain them in accordance with His will. My job is to enjoy them for as long as they last by giving God the glory in and through them.