Friends Come & Go... and Come Again!

Just a quick post to mention a minor incident that happened just the other day… I was searching on the Internet, looking for origins of my last name. When I added my first name I got an interesting result. One of the sites I found was a friend’s blog that linked to my blog. On his site was a comment… Someone had seen my name on his site and remembered my name from some 30+ years prior – when I was in 7th grade. It turns out it was my best friend from that time period in my life! Keep in mind, I was an Air Force brat so I moved around my whole childhood and adolescence. As a result, I had a lot of “best friends” and usual a new one about every two years. I had not heard from Scott since we were friends in Wichita Falls, Texas over 30 years ago! We connected on e-mail and are going to try to keep in touch.

This incident just brings to mind this whole idea of friendship. Even beyond my childhood days of moving from place to place, it still seems like I have seen friends come and go. Interests change, new friends are made… life happens. Good friends grow apart some times. I am convinced that God moves people in and out of our lives depending on the season. As Christians, we are always where we are for a reason – that includes the people that are around us. Cherish the friends you have when you have them. Don’t wait until you’re apart to recognize and appreciate that God has placed them there for a reason. On the other hand, don’t mourn close friendships that grow apart. Recognize God’s provision and blessing on a certain season of your life – and thank Him for it. I’m not saying to give up on old friendships, but simply to take them for what they are at that time. Again, have a spirit of thankfulness to the God who provides all we need and who is “able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Eph 3:20).

I am very thankful that at this point in our lives God has given us good, faithful friends that have stood the test time. I am also thankful for the new friends we have made in recent years. Finally, I am most thankful that God has given me “a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Prov 18:24)! Thank you, Jesus!