Post details: The Parting of Friends

07/31/07

Permalink 03:33:10 pm, Categories: By Pam
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The Parting of Friends

Life often confuses me. I easily misunderstand others and I am often misunderstood. I have a tendency to talk when I ought to listen and I also tend to think I can make things better with my words, if I can just find the right words. This truly is the root of all the confusion that comes into my life. The confusion that can put me at odds with a brother or sister and wreck valuable relationships. The root of my confusion is the illusion of having my own control over the situation, to prevent it, or fix it if things go wrong. The truth is that human relationships seldom last a lifetime. Even those to whom we are related by blood may one day abandon us or we abandon them. Even to those whom we vow to remain with until death does us part, often part before then even when they still live in the same house. There is no relationship solid enough to count on for continual sustenance in this life. God allows many people to pass through our lives to teach us many things but the only relational rock is Jesus.

Time changes everything and everything we take hold of in this life, we must at some future date, let go of. When we seek to hold onto those whom God has taken in another direction, things get confusing because we are putting ourselves in conflict with the Will of God by our grasping, grabbing, and toiling to keep life the same when everything has changed.

How much better to simply trust in the fact that when I let go of my present, Jesus is faithful to hold on to me and move me into my future. The end of all my confusion with others is in letting go of all my desires to keep them, protect them from harm, and shelter them from their own propensity toward error. Whoever they are or have been in my life is fully under the direction of God and the good works done through them will remain forever. All the rest, the misunderstandings and confusion, are but hay and stubble to be burned away on that last day and remembered no more.

I choose now not to be mindful of any hay or stubble but instead to fill my memory with all the good. As I allow my mind to dwell upon all that is of good report there is no fear and no sorrow. For all of us who are seated in the heavenlies in Christ, all things lovely and true are our true condition. We pass through time but we are not subject to time and there truly are no good-byes for this moment is eternity. Eternity is filled with only good works for there is no covering of darkness for the evil. The evil is brought to light and then remembered no more as that which was of darkness is changed by the presence of the Light. This is the completion of forgiveness.

Even though I may now walk another path than someone who is important to me, it isn't good-bye for even though we now are led in different directions, we are still united as we each continue in the Way; each on our own narrow path with Jesus.

Comments:

Comment from: Trent [Member] · http://www.GraceHead.com
Let us forever remind one another to be bound and chained to the Lord Jesus and to bind ourselves to each other loosely. In so doing, when others would move away from the Lord, we cannot, for we place no greater personal emphasis / import.
Amen, sis.
Permalink 08/01/07 @ 10:28
Comment from: jay [Visitor]
The beauty of sitting idle and waiting on what the FATHER has prepared for HIS child next in HIS walk, is undeniablly the most satisfying form of quench for thirst, when his truth is revealed. GOD BLESS you pam, OUR FATHER gave me one of HIS biggest growth points for me through you my thirst has once again been quenched PRAISE GOD and GOD BLESS all his children. AMEN
Permalink 08/02/07 @ 01:43
Comment from: pam [Visitor]
Hi Jay,

That's what it is all about, helping one another grow in Christ. The miracle of it is that what God touches us with touches others in ways we would never imagine and sometimes not even know.

Pam
Permalink 08/02/07 @ 10:02
Comment from: Dennis Thompson [Member] · http://packreview.homestead.com/DennisInOrlando.html
Its important to know who should be in your inner circle and who should be a person thats just a friend
Permalink 08/02/07 @ 21:10
Comment from: pam [Visitor]
Hi again Dennis,

I guess I leave that up to God these days and don't worry too much about it. I am required to be in the world and not of it and whoever God puts in my path, I am to love them.

All of our doctrine, theology, philosophy, mean nothing if we do not offer a drink to those who are thirsty, visit those in prison, give to those who are in need. God places all of these in our path daily and that is where true faith in Christ is manefest. The rest becomes a kind of virtual faith if God's good works are not wrought through us. It can sound real and look real but God knows the truth of it. I'm praying that I would choose my friends less and be open to those whom God places in my life and be willing to let go when God moves them out of my life or calls me in another direction.

I did not write this with sadness or regret but rather relief in greater understanding of the greater purposes of God.:0)

Pam
Permalink 08/02/07 @ 23:30
Comment from: Len Hummel [Visitor] · http://www.myspace.com/lenbenherehear
As the song goes: "And friends are friends forever, ... PROVIDED the LORD [Jesus] be Lord of them." ... and friends will not say, 'never,' ... except to the temptation to betray and abandon Love...and those in The Body.

Amen.

But as to closeness: those of the same mind and who walk also IN THE SPIRIT.
Permalink 08/10/07 @ 18:53
Comment from: pam [Visitor]
Hi Len,

People always accept God moving pastors around but He moves the rest of us too. Life is constant change and it is better to embrace it than fight it to a bitter end.:0) Who knows where the Spirit will lead any of us. It is a moment by moment thing, trusting God.

Pam
Permalink 08/11/07 @ 19:46

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