Iron vs. Iron Round 1

I really enjoy meeting with friends. You know I was the type of person growing up that always had friends but so many were seasonal due to my families many abrupt moves to other cities. When I landed in High School I had a few years under my belt in the same location and thought I had good ground-work for some life-long friendships. Some of those friendships lasted through a few years, and some of them lasted longer. The reality of those relationships is that only one of them which started in 8th grade has been able to sustain the constant absense of communication of leading different lives. This friendship is not currently a "BFF" one in the sense that we have talked daily or weekly since 8th grade yet is just as familiar, genuine and warm. There was a period in time when (mutually) we both became faceless to the outside world and lost touch. They were times when God gave me someone to lean on, but I always looked for her. I know I am blessed to still see her and chat often.

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Well beyond the high school years it all seems so interesting how God places us in situations to prepare us for where He is leading. There was a place in time when life was like a stage and the behind the scenes chaos was growing weary. A very wise women said that some times when God has called us to pick up our cross and live for Him we forget that the journey may be with only Him by our side to lean on. I was not as conforted as you may think since I am a person who loves to have someone to hang out with who knows the "real" me and who loves me anyway. (I am also quite a talker but I love to listen to others hearts as well.)

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Years later as I fast-forward in my mind to today I am amazed at how many people have been significant in my life as a sharpening tool as the word declares, "IRON SHARPENS IRON." Proverbs 27:17 "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." I am sincere when I say that those relationships were not all painful and the process was not something to shy away from. I realize looking back that in so many of those chats or talks or sometimes even healthy debates with any of my friends; I found a clearer understanding of my own hearts desires, dreams and believes. I allowed some friends to point me in the direction of the Truth of the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus Christ which saved me from my debt. Some of those friends throughout the years still are not believers, but it never made them less than friends or less like iron.

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I found a verse in Proverbs that describes my walk through this friendship journey in a way I didn't want to always see it. It is simply truth none the less. Proverbs 19:21 "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." I don't always know who God will "take home" and who will just drift away or who will abandon me. I often times have had plans of my own that seemed to disappoint me.

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I do know that He promised to fulfill His good work in me and sometimes that means I get great friends to enjoy while other moments I am left with just God to hear my heart. In reality, either way there is always someone causing friction in a positive or negative fashion and I can choose to become stronger (grow). Thank you God for teaching me to enjoy the moments as they come and to cherish the people you have given me for such a time as this and to learn from my relationships no matter the length of time. Amen.