I work in a three-story office building. Since I'm so quiet and shy -- not -- nearly everyone on my floor is a 'friend' on some level. A couple years ago, there was a lady down the hall that I smiled and said Hi to nearly every day. We would chat in the hall or on bathroom breaks when we ran into each other. I felt drawn to her and enjoyed our casual friendship at work.
After a year or so, she asked if she could come over to my house on Saturday. I was excited because she had such a sweet spirit, I was glad to take our friendship to another level. She came over and we had coffee. She wanted to let me know she was moving back to New Jersey. She said she had been here a year and never really made friends. She said that she didn't make friends easily and my daily smiles in the hall and our little chats were all that got her through the past year.
I started crying because God had burdened my heart for this dear woman and I didn't step out to answer the call. She started crying and said, No its not like that, she just felt very seriously about letting me know what a blessing she thought I had been to her. She said while it may seem like a small thing to me that it was a huge thing to her. While she may not hold me accountable for being a better friend, God and I had a lot of work to do over this!
I'm not as good as I'd like to be about going deeper in friendships, I'm better than I was. God is still working on me though. This was all brought back to me this past week. The day following our Are You the One meeting, the person I felt God was leading me to create an intentional friendship with told me she was moving on to another job and leaving my building. It felt like God was saying, "Now or Never Helen?" I answered, "Now, God!" I felt like Samuel, "Speak God, I'm listening."
She and I had talked about kids, life and had coffee together for nearly three years. We always talked about getting together but never got around to it. So the day after our meeting, God gave me the perfect opening.
My daily Bible reading on Wednesday was about Jehoram. He was a selfish king of Judah who lived like the old kings of Israel - selfishly. After 8 years as king, he still had no friends. When he died, no one cared. The Bible says "to no ones regret". We are being called out now to walk with God, to stop living selfishly. Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick." We are to reach out, get out of our comfort zone. He doesn't want us stuck in a Church, Home, and Work Rut.
I hope you are taking this charge seriously, don't be like I was. Don't wait until you "get around to it". Get after it people!
After a year or so, she asked if she could come over to my house on Saturday. I was excited because she had such a sweet spirit, I was glad to take our friendship to another level. She came over and we had coffee. She wanted to let me know she was moving back to New Jersey. She said she had been here a year and never really made friends. She said that she didn't make friends easily and my daily smiles in the hall and our little chats were all that got her through the past year.
I started crying because God had burdened my heart for this dear woman and I didn't step out to answer the call. She started crying and said, No its not like that, she just felt very seriously about letting me know what a blessing she thought I had been to her. She said while it may seem like a small thing to me that it was a huge thing to her. While she may not hold me accountable for being a better friend, God and I had a lot of work to do over this!
I'm not as good as I'd like to be about going deeper in friendships, I'm better than I was. God is still working on me though. This was all brought back to me this past week. The day following our Are You the One meeting, the person I felt God was leading me to create an intentional friendship with told me she was moving on to another job and leaving my building. It felt like God was saying, "Now or Never Helen?" I answered, "Now, God!" I felt like Samuel, "Speak God, I'm listening."
She and I had talked about kids, life and had coffee together for nearly three years. We always talked about getting together but never got around to it. So the day after our meeting, God gave me the perfect opening.
My daily Bible reading on Wednesday was about Jehoram. He was a selfish king of Judah who lived like the old kings of Israel - selfishly. After 8 years as king, he still had no friends. When he died, no one cared. The Bible says "to no ones regret". We are being called out now to walk with God, to stop living selfishly. Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick." We are to reach out, get out of our comfort zone. He doesn't want us stuck in a Church, Home, and Work Rut.
I hope you are taking this charge seriously, don't be like I was. Don't wait until you "get around to it". Get after it people!
I'm praying for you! ~Helen :)
Well said Helen. I think we all need a kick in the pants, especially me! Such a simple task and I think we (I) over-complicate it in our heads. You've given me more motivation. Thanks!
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