Friends

Greetings Everybody,
Got something on my heart today.

Do you remember these song lyrics by Michael W. Smith? 


         "Friends are friends forever if The Lord's the LORD of them."
             
There is wisdom in those words, real wisdom.

I recently visited with a friend whom I haven't spent time with in a long while.
We met and talked for many hours.
We are both Christians, and because we are, we have common bonds that connect us.
We play by the same rules.
We live by the same standards.
We understand each other.
We laughed and cried and hugged and shared and were keenly aware that despite the time of absence from each other, the friendship is still very much alive.

Her path has been difficult in recent years.

Have you noticed that some folks seem to get the "gentle scenic drive" in life, while others get a life path that is more like a "slippery mountain road with dangerous curves and sheer-cliff edges"?

Interestingly enough, she doesn't ask "Why Me?"

It does not matter to my friend that some people don't seem to have struggles (while her life is so difficult), because she knows that she has access to Strength and Power beyond her own comprehension.

God is her strong right hand.

Psalm 118:16-17

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ The LORD’s right hand is lifted high;
   the LORD’s right hand has done mighty things!”
¹⁷ I will not die but live,
   and will proclaim what the LORD has done.

I can not tell you why some folks get the easy path and some folks get the hard one.

But I can tell you that when Christians endure hardship, and in so doing, turn to God's Strong Right Hand for their strength,... they grow.
Their faith gets stronger.
They sink deeper spiritual roots.
They begin to personify The Fruits of the Spirit.
They increase in wisdom and stature in The Lord.

And they become equipped to help other people.

If mountains are created by deep earth pressure pushing techtonic plates around...
If diamonds are created by intense heat...
Then we can see that in nature, pressure and intensity can create great beauty and value.

It's the same in the life of a Christian.

I have known many Christians who have endured great spiritual pressure and intensity.
And those who turned completely to God seemed to gain a beautiful and valuable patina on their souls.

They became wise.
They became gentle.
They drew closer to God and in the process were transformed.

My friend is already spiritually beautiful and spiritually valuable.
And I for one, can't wait to see how God will use her "spiritually spit-shined self"
in His Kingdom and to His Glory!

In Him,
Grace