You never know how friendships will play out. You make friends. You start doing things together. You start caring for them. Through the years love grows.
Funny thing about love, it makes strangers family.
For the 18 years I lived in San Diego I visited family in Idaho and Puerto Rico. It was the desire to love family by being closer physically that prompted my move to Florida. I was done missing out on family and feeling useless when I couldn't help them because of how far away I lived.
I never expected the opposite to be true once in Florida. I never expected my very good friend to have cancer and need me several months after my move away from her. There is not one redeeming quality to cancer. All of it is straight from the pits of hell.
I am extremely fortunate to have the means to travel and have the time off from work. I am very blessed to have the job I do. I don't know how I would have handled it if I needed to stay back because of work.
Tomorrow I leave San Diego. I must trust my friend to God, to her family and to my other friends. It is very selfish of me to want to be the one to help her. I don't like to see my friends in pain, and I do what I can to let them know I love them. But I am not her only friend and I need to live my life.
Live my life. What is that?! My life.
I've been through my share of seasons and I know "this too shall pass". I mean, all of us will die. I know... "you were never promised a rose garden" and "on this side of heaven" you can only be reasonably happy, etc.
The only thing that brings comfort at this point is the laughter of children. Maybe that is exactly why Jesus said we must be like children to enter the kingdom. If we enter as adults we are jaded by the awful things we suffer. Adulthood is not conducive to a hopeful attitude. Adults can't have the hope a child has. Child-like hope is what we all desperatly need.
Yes, these are all depressing words. But for those of you ready to dismiss this sadness, remember Christ's suffering. If Jesus had to suffer, we will not be spared. How did Jesus stay happy eventhough He knew he would die? How could he only heal a handful of people in one area of the world and let all other ones die?
I must reconcile all these things. If not, this seed of sadness will grow into a tree of bitterness.
Truth - His ways are higher than ours.
I have no right to understand.
I have a call to believe.
I believe God is love. How can a God who is love let bad things happen to His creation? Because He can be the person you need in every situation.
Really think about it. What better than a loved one with you every step of the awful road in front of some of us.
Truly. If the pain can't be taken away, what is the next best thing? (Yes, heavy drugs is an answer). Maybe the only thing that makes something bearable is having me someone who can supply for every need as you go through the pain.
Here is my prayer to our Sovereign God, our Jesus Resurrected, and the Comforting Holy Spirit:
Dear Trinity,
I give you all of my friends who are going through the Valley of Death, the Valley of Achor, or a dark hour of the night. May they have the faith to expect you. May they have the hope to wait to see your miracles. May all their friends love them unconditionally. May their friends bring them the comfort and strength they need each day. May You show up in their lives and hearts each day.
Dear Human,
"I will never leave you nor forsake you" "In this world you will have
trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world"
Jesus, please, show us how to walk in your resurrection power and walk as overcomers!
Amen!
