Friends are a special thing.
I took my friendships for granted for several recent years of my life.
As a single college graduate, that is now – thankfully – a different story.
There is something about a good friend to walk with through life. Someone to give you a good kick in the butt and tell you are acting silly when you are acting too cowardly to make friends in a new social setting. Someone to make you excited about things you are uncertain of. Someone who you can share embarrassing moments with and know that it wont affect your relationship. Someone to walk into a new setting with and know that they are a constant in your life – unchanging. Someone to be that “wind beneath your wings” as the song goes.
I have several friends who have been that for me over my lifetime. Mostly girls. A few guys. All very special to me. These friends are people who I will never take for granted again. These friends are people who I will support and walk hand-in-hand with until the day I die.
Ecclesiastes says it well
“There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. “For whom am I toiling,” he asked, “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?” This too is meaningless—a miserable business! Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:8-12).
There was a time in my life where I had very few friends. In fact, I would say at that point in my life, I had no friends. Even Jesus felt far from me. I was depressed. Lonely. Overtaken by despair. Broken.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
After about a month of feeling utter loneliness and depression, I decided to go to see a counselor. I spent that first session spilling my guts out to her. I told her how I used to have friends then I got caught up in a relationship and then slowly but surely ended up with nothing and no one. I stopped hanging out with my girlfriends, stopped spending time in the Word, stopped hanging out with my family, stopped investing in other people’s lives except my own. It was an endless pit into self-gratification that led me to the corner of broken and depressed.
Something like 3 years later, I am in a new stage in life. Recent college graduate. Single. In a new city, much less a new county. I have a new job…working full time. On my own with bills to pay and things to do.
I should be depressed. I should be broken. Because life after college is hard. Especially since my plans didn’t go the way I wanted them to go, how I had planned them out 2 1/2 years ago. This isn’t to say that I haven’t had a few freak out moments in the last 3 weeks.
But, nothing compares with those handful of weeks that were soaked in tears and sorrow 3 years ago.
Simply because of this…
I have a God who loves me and I love him who gave his son in my place so that I could live without the punishment in eternity that I deserve.
I have a family that is completely supportive and so encouraging. For goodness sake, I wouldn’t have a job or a car or a place to stay right now if it weren’t for my brother and sister-in-law.
I have friends who are basically family and who I would defend to the death.
The only thing that is “missing” is a church family closer to where I am to invest my time into and to grow with. But, I do have a church family back at home who I love dearly and miss so much. (First Baptist Church of Norco, I miss you all!!!)
All these things add up perfectly to describe why I am not broken.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.. A cord of 50+ strands is not quickly broken.
I am one blessed gal.
~~~
Here’s some examples…
To Be Continued… 🙂
sarahecooley.com 