Friendship of God

Recently some ideas have been floating around in my brain and here is my attempt to put it all on paper in some sort of organized way… Hopefully…

So it started a few weeks ago, my church was going through a series discussing friendships. In my small group, we were discussing the good qualities of a friendship. Many things were brought up from supporting, to helping, to having fun, to the sometimes unlikeliness. However, what was most mentioned and most valued was being friends with someone who was open and willing to listen to you.

That struck me and made me begin to see the reflections of our friendships and our relationship with Christ. God can be our best friend, and therefore the rules that apply to friendships can and do apply to God as well.

In the small group, as we talked about how important it is to be open and willing to listen to our friends, I thought about how important it is to be open and listening to God as well. One thing that all my friends know about me is my willingness to listen. No matter what the circumstance is, I will always make time for anyone who needs to talk or, really, just needs someone to listen. But I feel like when it comes to God, I am more hesitant. It’s not as easy, talking to God. You can’t just send Him a text or dial his number to ask how He is or if He wants to have a chat. But, if we pay any attention at all, we can hear Him. It’s the idea that once we choose to hear Him, and are open to hear Him, we will.

However, friendship is a two way street. Most of the time, talking is just as important as listening. I believe that talking about feelings to better admit and accept things, is very important. I feel so moved and honored when people choose to talk to me and trust me with their feelings. I can only imagine what God feels like when His beloved children turn towards Him and make themselves vulnerable and known to Him.

The flaw is that it can be easier to talk than to listen. Is this the same in our earthy friendships? I can think of a few people who are quick to voice their opinions and thoughts, but aren’t listeners. Those friendships feel slightly one sided. And they’re often also very awkward, especially me being the talkative and conversational person that I am.

So why do we choose to create a one sided and awkward relationship with the Lord, the King of the Universe, and the Creator? We sometimes miss the opportunity to listen. But in our friendship with God, just like our friendships with others, we must give up some of our normality and comfort for the benefit of the relationship.

This is part of the idea of being Self-less, to be God-ful.

To give up our time, maybe some of our comfort, to better know God.

We need to put ourselves in a position where we are willing and open to listen.

For me, it has become very normal for me to listen to my friends or to strike up good healthy conversations with them. And in the last few days, I’ve been sitting with the idea of having that same dedication, attentiveness, and commitment listening to God. Not just hearing Him, but really listening. Listening and learning all that God has to say.

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Related:

• God Sightings
• Out of the Comfort Zone

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