Friendship

Friendship: A state of enduring affection, esteem, intimacy, and trust between two people.

This word friendship has been on my heart for a while as I've struggled with some of my own friendships.

A book I started reading regarding boundaries within relationships has been so good. One thing the author writes about is chaos and drama within the realm of relationships. She states "where there is an abundance of chaos there is usually a lack of boundaries". Have you ever been in a relationship where chaos and drama breed? Did you feel unsettled every time you were around that person? Obviously no boundaries were ever set. Drama and chaos are lived and breathed by the other person. Without it, they are lost. When you see this, run! God doesn't want chaos, He wants order. He set boundaries for the ocean, the atmosphere, ect.

Friendship is and can be a beautiful thing. A true friend can be hard to find. One whom you are able to be yourself around and be honest with. One whom you can make a mistake around but see the abundance of grace and love in. One who offers forgiveness and not judgment. One in whom your heart can pour out the hurt and pain with. This type of friendship, when found, cherish it. Not everyone will find a true friend.

Another thing the author wrote which stood out to me was "be careful who you give the key to your heart to". There are times where I've felt that I've found that friend to only later realize I gave them more of myself than they ever intended to give me. The relationship is then strained and ruined.

Proverbs 27:6 KJV "Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful."

Although I wouldn't call them my enemy they definitely were not a faithful friend. For me, because of this, it's hard to really and truely open myself up and pour out my heart to someone else other than my husband.

What about you? What are you doing to be that true friend?

Proverbs 18:24 KJV "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother."

The Bible is full of so many verses regarding friendship. This makes sense as we see Jesus also had friends and calls us friend. The gospels show verse after verse where Jesus calls His disciples friend and we see where the publicans called Jesus a friend of sinners.

This shows us that we were created for friendships. We all have a desire to cultivate friendships. For this reason, we need to remember to make time for our friends. A text, a call, a card, a hug or just telling them you are praying for them is better than doing nothing. Remember you have time for what you want to have time for. If time is not given in a friendship on both sides, the friendship then withers away and they then turn into an acquaintance. When this happens, you may feel as though you are not enough. This is far from the truth. God created you for a purpose. Cling to that and lean into Him and trust His leading. 

Hebrews 13:5-6 KJV "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." I am gaurded more so in my life than ever before but God I know will continue to be there for me. If a true friendship has/will never be apart of your life beside your spouse, just remember God is there for you. Go to Him, pour out your heart. You will feel so much better, trust me. He is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

*You are loved, you are enough, you are His. He will hold you in His hands until the very end.

Book quotes are from -Lysa TerKeurst book Good Boundaries and Good Byes

~JuneAnn Miller