June 7, 2011 with 7 Comments

358.

Friends are friends forever – or are they?

One day you’re best friends forever, and the next she’ll hardly talk to you.

I’m not talking about the sixth grade. I’m talking about right here and right now.

We’ve all been there. That same person you thought you could never live without has become your greatest source of heartache.

Even Michael W.Smith can’t seem to patch up things up for you. Friends are friends forever, if the Lord’s the Lord of them. Yeah, right. how did you ever believe that?!

But I’m done with letting cynicism and bitterness take over. Instead, I want to explore Four Reasons why friendships fail:

1. Hurt. “She didn’t call me”. It starts with a little seed planted in your mind. She didn’t return my text, she didn’t invite me to that get together I saw on facebook. Next thing you know that seed has grown into a full fledged tree of hurt.

2. Pride. “I’m not gonna call her”. You may have started in the land of hurt, but by the time you tell yourself you’re not gonna call her back, plain ole pride has taken over. There’s no room for pride when it comes to restoring friendships.

3. Jealousy. “She called her but didn’t call me”. We live in an age where every move ever made is out there for the whole world to read and interpret. So you may be sitting in the comfort of your home when all of a sudden with one click of a button the infamous green monster grabs hold of your heart threatening to kill you.

4. Anger. “See if I call her first”. Now you’re plain angry which we all know started with hurt. But you can’t make pitch your tent here or you’ll turn into that girl (or boy) you always said you’d never be.

No one had a better reason to feel hurt by the betrayal of his friends than Jesus Christ. He was left to die alone by those who claimed to love him more than anything.

Did it hurt? I’m sure it did.
Did he have every right to detach himself from them? You bet he did.

But instead, he did something radical.

He forgave. And maybe it’s time you did too.

So…is there a phone call you need to make?

You will never be more like Jesus than when you forgive.

 

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  • Z

    You are so right, Lina. Forgiveness heals the soul. Thank you for sharing in your blog. All Blessings to you.

  • http://Z Milo

    Forgiveness or even a forgiving attitude is what is needed to stay on the. Road to sanctif. tell God about it and then see what you can do to change things. Good thought. For AM

  • Gina

    I agree w/ 4.very true.I also milo likewhat you said Milo! Happy tuesday

  • Sue

    I totally know what you mean! It’s been one of the hardest things in my adult life to experience unresolved conflict, esp. with those who are leaders in the church! I think fear can keep me from resolving conflict sometimes. I have called someone to apologize or to try to set up a time to talk through something and it’s, “I’ll get back to you with my schedule,” and a week will go by—I’ll make contact again only to be blown off. God has really used it to teach me about loving others unconditionally when that love is not acknowledged let alone returned. Refine away, Lord! :)

  • Amber

    Its true about friendship not lasting, but I think its harder when I friend is not a Christian. I think when that hurt comes its like God giving you a wake up call. Saying hey maybe she is not the best person you should be sharing everything with. We still need to love those friends with God’s amazing love and let him show us where it will go.

  • Beth

    What about when you purposely avoid calling and getting together because you’ve grown in the Lord and realize you don’t have as much in common with that person any more?

  • Gina

    Accept who they are and teach your friend his word.put your pride aside and call.sometimes we just need to just do it. Reach out. New believer 101 :)