She lives one state over. While we seldom talk on the phone, we are pro's at using the chat feature on facebook. She's a high school English teacher. We are both introverts by nature and love to read. It seems talking through writing is our best form of communication. It allows each of us to go as deep as we want to. Other times, it allows the deep stuff out when we least expect it.
That was the case this week. We hadn't talked much so a quality conversation was looming in the air. Once we filled each other in with small talk, my friend made a comment. I heard the frustration in her words. Then I wrote, "Okay, care to dump?"
Those four words lead to a very deep revealing, layer by layer, about what she was struggling with. I continued asking her leading questions so that I could gain a better understanding of what was really wrong. Sometimes people have layers upon layers of things on top of the actual issue. Giving your friend your time and your full attention helps them feel safe to continue removing those layers.
At one point she asked me a question. I answered it and then she got mad. I knew she wasn't mad at me. She was mad because the answer did not fit the answer she wanted to hear. Then she asked another question. I had no answer for that one. Then I sensed these questions weren't what she really wanted answered. She was getting closer to the real question so I asked her this: "What do you really want to ask?"
It took her a little bit to answer it but finally she found it. The questions she was asking were about God. The only answers I could give her were what I read in the Bible and my personal experience. Being a Christian for 26 years and reading the Bible regularly gave me a lot of confidence in the response. Knowing her and being her friend, I was able to lovingly confront some of the lies she was believing. In other words, I was able to tell the truth and be like Jesus and love her back to her loving God who had all her concerns under control.
That's where she needed to be. She didn't need to be connected to me. She needed to be connected to Him. It's my responsibility as her friend to bring her back to the one who adores her and created her and has a plan and purpose for her life. That's what God wants me to do. And because I love my friend, I do it without hesitation.
On facebook she wrote...Wanna thank a great friend last night for reminding me of God's love and that He basically has things covered....You're always there for me Amy...
On facebook I wrote back...All of us need to be mirrors of God's love for our brothers and sisters in Christ on a regular basis. Satan likes to pull our faith down into the sludge and keep us there so we believe God left us and doesn't care about our circumstances. That's a lie. God pulls us up out of the sludge and gives us a holy bath, reminding us that His love never leaves us. He is watching over everything that concerns us especially when we think He's abandoned us. Patience, trust and more patience. God is always on your side even if things do not go your way. Remember, He has your whole life in front of Him. We have only today. Yes, Kim, I'm always here for you.
Be Jesus with eyes and ears that listen, a heart that loves, a mouth that speaks gentle truth and arms that hug.
