November Challenge: Day 7

Today I am thankful for friendships. The last two weeks I have been struggling with something that happened in my personal life and I haven't felt able to talk to anyone about the situation. I knew of a few people that I could talk to, even people I wanted to talk to, but in my heart I knew that I couldn't talk to anyone about what happened. There was shame and a fear of judgment, which made me withdraw from relationships. I didn't know how to be honest when answering friend's questions without telling them about what had happened. This was something I struggled with for the last two weeks and something I spent a lot of time praying about. Last night and this morning my prayers were answered in the unexpected text message of a friend. I was able to be honest with her without revealing my personal struggle, but God knew that I needed to talk to her about what had happened and prompted her to keep asking questions that eventually led to the truth. I needed to unload what I had been feeling for the last two weeks and have them understand. I told my friend everything that had happened and I didn't feel judgement or shame. It was a relief to not carry that burden alone anymore. 

Scripture teaches us that God wants us to have these relationships and these friendships so that when we stumble we have someone to help us back up. God gave us marriage so that we had a partner for life, but He also gave us friendships because it isn't good for human beings to be alone. I have a tendency to forget the importance of these relationships, but I sure am grateful God didn't forget. He sent me my friend when I needed her and for the first time in two weeks I feel I can go forward stronger. Today I am very thankful for friendship. What are you thankful for today?

Proverbs 27

Proverbs 27: More Proverbs of Solomon (Cont.).

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring. Let someone else praise you, and your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips. Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy. Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. One who is full loathes honey from the comb, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet. The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse. A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping of a leaky room in a rainstorm; restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand. As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. As water reflects the face, so one's life reflects the heart. Death and destruction are never satisfied, and neither are human eyes. Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations.

God does not want us to boast about tomorrow because we don't know what will happen the next second, let alone tomorrow. Our trust should be in God and God's plan for tomorrow rather than our own ability to predict the future. God wants praise for us to come from someone else instead of our own lips. Our lives should be visibly changed because of God's presence. If we have to prove to others our lives have changed than they likely haven't changed. God wants us to rebuke our friends out of love because wounds from a friend can be trusted, but to be wary of the kisses of an enemy. God warns about not seeing danger and taking refuge, as well as loudly blessing a neighbor early in the morning. It seems obvious to take refuge when there is danger, but sometimes danger is hidden and we need wisdom to know when we would should take refuge. God warns against being quarrelsome and compares a quarrelsome wife to the dripping of a leaky roof in a rainstorm. I think there is a belief that we can quarrel with the people closest to us because they deserve it and/or they don't have a choice about putting up with the quarrel. Our lives should reflect our heart the way a face is reflected in water. God warns us that human eyes are not satisfied. In comparing human eyes to death and destruction, we are given a consequence for eyes that are not satisfied. 

Focus

The last few days I have felt like a zombie: too tired, too drained, and with entirely too much to do. When this happens I am able to focus on only one thing and everything else gets forgotten. A lot of time this happens at work and I forget my lunch on some shelf in a classroom, forcing myself to go back when I realize it. Or it happens where I am so focused on the worldly things that need to be done that I forget to return my focus to God. It isn't that I forget God, like I did my lunch, but that at the end of a long day I realize I missed what God was trying to teach me. 

Generally, focus isn't a a problem or at least this much of a problem. I enjoy connecting with God and seeing what He has planned for me in my day. I try to start my morning praying, find time to read a God Wants Me To Know message, read a friend's blog Discover Lent With Me on her own journey, and I end my day with gratitude, another God Wants Me To Know message, a daily devotional, scripture, and prayer. And in between? In between I pray. I talk to God like I would a friend because God is my friend. 

I am reminded of a children's song Jesus is My Best Friend. This is actually a song we are teaching the children for their Easter pageant next month, which is why the song has been in my head so much lately. Jesus is our friend and just like our other friendships we need to spend time with Him. Spending time with Him shouldn't be seen as an obligation, but a wonderful opportunity to get to know Him better. The best part of Jesus being our friend is that He is always there with us and we don't have to worry if He has time to listen.