This Gift of Friendship

The idea of friendship was somewhat of an aloof concept when I was younger. Sure I had people in my life, but they were always kept at a comfortable distance away so that real intimacy could never be established. There was this unconscious fear that if they knew me, I mean really knew me, they would reject me. The Psychology field calls one who uses this defense as someone who suffers from “abandonment issues”. However, I believe we all hold back pieces of ourselves for one reason or another, but it just so happened that I didn’t really like myself so how could I really expect anyone else to.

One of the first things God pressed upon me to do when He removed my childhood shackles was to lay my guard at His feet. Of course I was not ready to do such things so I concentrated on my relationship with Him. Anytime we dig deeper in Him, faith is created and that is exactly what is needed when He pushes us to go further then we have before. “ Faith is the substance hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb 11:1). So what does that mean?

Many people don’t even know what to hope for because they are so paralyzed in their circumstance. It becomes apart of who they are and what creates their idea of balance in their life. If they were to loose grasp of that identity, they fear something far worse awaits them. So the issue of just letting go should not be an option. Grabbing onto something that is worthy of grabbing onto should be the goal. This is how it was for me. Once I truly trusted that God is Who He said He is, that I am one of the many He sacrificed His life for, and nothing could separate me from Him (except my stubborn will), I ran to Him.

This intimacy allowed me to feel what no human relationship could (even at their best) offer. It opened my heart to love, to have compassion, to care about people like I never knew was possible. Yes, this also made me vulnerable to rejection, pain, and heartache but that is what He calls us to do. That is what Jesus did for us. How can I deny that part if I am to receive all the blessings that accompany it? In return, my hope changed its substance to see things that aren’t visible to the eye. My faith was transformed in so many avenues of my life including my relationships with those I interact with.

People are not just names and faces to me. They are lives full of wisdom and experiences. They are God’s people created for a purpose. They are made up of love, passion, and pain. We were put here in this time to journey through life together. It may only be for a passing moment or it my be for a decade, but either way, God calls us to put ourselves out there so that He becomes the fingerprint that leaves the lasting impression of those we encounter. How can we not be that vessel for Him?