Friendships and Relationships
Friendships and Relationships
“And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.”
Zechariah 13:6
Do you remember a close friend with whom you no longer have that friendship with? I’m talking about a really long, very close, personal friendship with someone. Or maybe it was someone you were friends with for a semester at school, or a job you had through college. Someone you grew up with.
I’ve had that friendship. It was a great friendship, albeit temporary or short lived.
I’ve had that friendship growing up and even as an adult. I’ve had many of those friendships actually.
They were friendships which began with common interests or a common workplace and that developed into a trusting bond. It was a friendship that was tied together with tell-all’s, not-so friendly advice, encouragement and a lot of bumps and bruises. Yet we were still friends through some good and bad times.
Some, if not all of those friendships have ended. They’ve ended because of shifts in values, lifestyles or locations or a combination of all three. At one point these friendships were very close, and then the next moment they were gone.
Now do you remember a relationship? In fact you’re probably still in one or have one with someone.
Some friendships seems to have a shorter lifespan than others. Some of my friendships however have grown into great relationships. It’s a turning point, an endurance, something the friendship overcame to become a relationship.
Friendships seems to come and go and relationships seem to last a really really long time. Friendships seem to be temporary, while relationships appear to be lifelong testimonies to what they’ve overcome.
They have passed through the stress and have gone the distance necessary to make an unbreakable bond. They have endured the broken moments, the amazing accomplishments and the day to day routines.
Relationships tend to mean more in society’s lens. The gossip magazines and tv shows never report on a friendship break up, but they surely will announce when a relationship is over. We define family members by what relationship they are to us. It’s a closer connection. I’ve never seen anyone post their excitement about starting a friendship with someone. Just saying.
Relationships develop over time and begin in friendships. Relationships learn, grow, invest, mourn and respond. Relationships are things we can’t live without. Relationships have deep understandings and connections. Relationships grow love, patience and humility.
It’s great to be a friend to someone. People need friends. People have friends in their lives. After all, shouldn’t we be friendly to everyone? And the Bible says a lot about friendships.
Friendships may cause hurt and pain, where relationships will help heal. Friendships will share laughter and love, where relationships can teach you how. Friends will do anything for you, relationships already have.
I want to build relationships centered around God. I want to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. I want Jesus to see my weaknesses, my cracks and my crevices. I want Jesus to encourage me and to strengthen me. I want to walk with Jesus at the center of my life daily. And I want to be with Him forever and eternally.
Develop a relationship with Jesus through prayer and reading your Bible. Get around other like minded Christians who want that same relationship. Attend a church that preaches from the Bible.
Friends will do anything for you, but Jesus did everything for us.
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
John 15:13
“For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.”
Ecclesiastes 4:10
“And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
Ecclesiastes 4:12