How To Have Healthy FriendshipsChikamu

I felt the deadline looming for my manuscript. It loomed on top of my kids’ schedules: a recital, a soccer tournament, a preschool graduation. It hovered over the state of my fridge; it was pancake mix and pickles for dinner if I didn’t make it to the grocery store. And it floated above sixty-seven unchecked emails reminding me I was apparently in high demand at work. 

So, of course, I texted a friend about my deadline and my anxiety. She read the text and carefully and graciously chose some truth to text back. 

“Let go of that anxiety and stress I hear in your text because God wants to provide for you, Amy. He has before, and he will again. You can rest that this will get done because you have time and time again seen him share the load—take the load—and provide the words and time. He’s got this, too.”

I needed a friend to see what I couldn’t. The truth. So often we look at the details all over the landscape—the millions of trees. And we miss the forest. Those overarching truths that cover us and provide shade and security and keep us grounded. 

She told me: God will provide for you. 

Isn’t that how our fears get started? Will God provide for me? Should I just make this happen? Can I trust God to provide? 

Yes. I can trust God to provide.

I needed to hear it from an outside voice because my inner voice was feeding me fear. 

I needed the truth that God will give the grace for all good works. He will help me finish the manuscript and will take me through the crazy schedule. He will help me see what is truly important and not only what is urgent. God has provided for me before, and he will again. 

Let’s be a friend who graciously gives the truth, at the right time, of who God is. Let’s pray for wisdom in our friendships. Let’s ask God to hear him and give whatever gift our friends need. It could be the gift of silence until a friend can hear truth. Or it could be the gift of truth because the lies have gotten too loud. We need grace and truth from our friends. We need to point one another to the rich character of God in our often-impoverished view of him. 

When my friend sent that text, she took me by the hand and walked me to the King. And reminded me who he was: a good and generous God. 

Today, thank God for those friends in your life who point you toward God. If you don’t have a friend like that, ask him for one! He loves to give good gifts.