All in Friendship
Are we true and resilient Christians, or does our faith require great care, and a very specific set of conditions in which to flourish? Are we like a reed that must have constant water for it to survive, or a barrel cactus that stores the water of infrequent rains within itself, and endures long periods of drought? There are many who are fragile, and whimsical, in their faith, but those who are hearty serve God faithfully, even in the worst of times.
We are inclined to reach out to God when we are in need, and rightly so, but is that the only time we do so? God is our provider, protector, Lord who establishes laws, and many other such things, but He wants more than these official responsibilities; He wants to be our friend, and our companion. Do you walk with the Lord? Do you seek to know not only what He is, and what He will do for you, but who He is? Have you allowed God to be your friend and companion?
Are there times when you feel alone? Loneliness doesn’t mean that you are necessarily by yourself... we can feel it in a crowded room. We can be in a sports arena surrounded by thousands of people, and yet suffer the pangs of loneliness as if we were abandoned on an uninhabited island. This feeling isn’t a physical one, but a mental, and spiritual one; yet in Jesus, and before our God we are never alone. The Holy Spirit was given to us for this very reason... so that we would not be alone in our faith.
Do you feel inadequate in faith, spirituality, and in what you do for the Church? If so then let me ask you a very simple question... how is your prayer life? If our prayer time is weak and disjointed; sometimes good but often forgotten, then this may be the root of the problem. Prayer isn’t simply a time to give the Lord your wish list... it is the root of our relationship, and the source of our strength.
Do we give thanks for our brothers and sisters in Christ? Do we take our own sanctification by the Holy Spirit as more than a distant hope, but as a present truth? Do we find ourselves filled with the glory of Jesus Christ, and allow him full reign as he abides within us? There was a time when I accepted Jesus as fact, but didn’t want the close relationship that He offered; I wanted to follow Him but not to walk too closely, not to accept the changes that walking hand in hand with Him meant. Is Jesus your speaking friend, or your best friend and confidant? Are you sanctified or just aquatinted?