You live your life as an individualized expression of God here on earth. God, according to scripture, in Genesis 1:27, it is stated quite clearly and it applies to both male and female, "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.". So then we must ask ourselves, "What is the image of God?" or better yet, what is God? John 4:24 gives us some insight when it tells us, "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth." So, with that being said, we come to understand that God is not the body, not the flesh, but Spirit with a capital S. If we are made in that image are we not also Spirit? The flesh is but a container for our earthly experience. This experience is measured and taken in by seconds, minutes, hours, days, and years. Those experiences are contained in emotions, desires, impulses, reflexes, perceptions, perspectives, opinions, beliefs, confirmations, affirmations, behaviors, decisions, and a list of other influences that go on and on and on. There is purpose to it all or God would not have set this in motion.
So we live our life. Connected to the spirit. Connected to the flesh. Experiencing them both to varying degrees. The range of emotions is ours to feel and share.
Some of us have years to remember. When we say this we are usually referring to some trials or hardships. Some event that takes us to the limit emotionally or tries to test our faith. It is during this time that we withdraw at times and go within. We seek the comfort of the Spirit and the Spirit sends out to others who also live by the spirit that we are in need. Friendship is a relationship with another that grows over time in ways that give the other a familiarity so we can sense the needs of those we care about. Friends. Not acquaintances. Not a caring stranger, although they too are blessings, but instead, Friends.
Friendship involves recognition or familiarity with another's personality. Friends often share likes and dislikes, interests, pursuits, and passion. Genuine friendship involves a shared sense of caring and concern, a desire to see one another grow and develop, and a hope for each other to succeed in all aspects of life. True friendship involves action: doing something for someone else while expecting nothing in return; sharing thoughts and feelings without fear of judgment or negative criticism. Trust is essential to true friendship. We all need someone with whom we can share our lives, thoughts, feelings, and frustrations.
True friendship requires certain accountability factors. Real friends encourage one another and forgive one another where there has been an offense. Genuine friendship supports during times of struggle. Friends are dependable. In true friendship, unconditional love develops. We love our friends no matter what and we always want the best for our friends.
Real friendship looks at the heart, not just the "packaging." Genuine friendship loves for love's sake, not just for what it can get in return. True friendship is both challenging and exciting. It risks, it overlooks faults, and it loves unconditionally, but it also involves being truthful, even though it may hurt. Genuine friendship, also called "agape" love, comes from the Lord. This is a rare type of relationship we have in the world today but is essential in helping others and ourselves gain a foothold to climb out of the hardest times of our lives.
Those trials are subjective and relative. They are not always on par with Job or Joseph. They are however our own, and it is faith in God and his plan for us as well as the love of friends that know and sense our needs that help us fill the empty spaces and get us through.
On October 3rd of 2014, I wrote on Facebook this status, I am finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. It's on a serious incline and the terrain is rather treacherous but I do see the light. There is no perpetual darkness. Never give up on yourself and never give up on those you are in debt to and their capacity to understand. I really think and feel that I will see the other side of the struggle and I will not compromise my principles to get there.
Thanks be to God.
Little did I know two months later my sister would pass away, I would move to my parents, my marriage would end, I would be separated from my family, I would struggle to get through Masters Courses without internet, I would be laid off twice, feel more alone than I could recall, and struggle to maintain my ability to keep my life in the spirit.
This year has been one of my toughest ever. I lately have broken down and felt as tired and as weak and as alone as I ever have. So I reach out. I reach out to God and the Spirit. God, in turn, gives us strength in friendship. We as Christians must be cognizant and aware of the struggles of those we love and care for. We must be able to lose ourselves in the love and care for those among us who suffer. I try to reach out and be there for friends both old and new. I feel at times that I am inadequate and that my efforts are so small compared to what I receive in blessings and grace. So I try. I pray. I constantly check my motives so I may be of use. Still even today I feel I am short changing the spirit and capable of more in terms of helping my friends.
Last night I was told a friend of mine had attempted suicide. I had just visited with her that day. I saw no indication she would do such a thing and I thought long and hard about why the spirit in me didn't recognize my friend and her pain. Was I too caught up in my own issues and my own concerns. I really spent much time that night examining myself. As the scripture says, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?" 2 Corinthians 13:5. and "Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD." Lamentations 3:40. We must be in constant contact with God and the spirit. We must always examine our motives and check to see if we are under the guide of God and his image so we may be there for those who hurt.
There have been times in your life when you have known pain, loneliness, sadness, difficulty, doubt, hopelessness, and there was another side to it where we came through and the grace of God was revealed. The acts of our Christian friends are those we remember and build our own behaviors upon to help others.
There is a need for us to be friends to those who are close to us not only in times of joy but especially in times of need and trouble. Those are indeed the days we will be needed the most and reflect the love of the spirit that lives within us in ways God always intended us to demonstrate. We cannot be Christians and fully experience the spirit without having compassion, empathy, and a desire to be there for those who hurt. Faith without works is dead says the book of James and it tells us we must put into action the love we are given by God and the spirit so it can bring more to him and the care can be returned to others.
God's Word tells us that a friend sticks closer than a brother, and that in order for one to be a friend, one must show themselves friendly. Proverbs 18:24 tells us the difference between worldly companions and the friends who live in the spirit. " A man of many companions may come to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." We must be closer than a brother to those we call friends and it is our duty to be the Christ with in for those in need.
We must lose ourselves and focus our love upon our friends and those who hurt and the grace of God will be experienced. We must have the faith that God has us. Then we turn to our friends and give of ourselves. We can't become caught up in who we are and what the flesh desires or we will fail to delight ourselves in the Lord. We must let go of concerns over self image and who we think others feel about us and release all forms of ego and pride so we can be the friend we need to be. We must release the need to be somebody and the pride of self so that the spirit can have it's way with us.
When interacting with others, have no expectations of yourself. You do not have to prove anything or do anything to make the other person happy or more comfortable. Just be love. Be that spirit within. Experiment with this.
You may well find, that then you behave in a totally natural and useful way. When you give up your need to be someone or act a certain way to uphold an illusory self concept, or to gain any external (or internal) approval, suddenly you are freed from all anxiety or fear. You become completely real and authentic.
From this place your natural state of peace and relaxed joy flows into your interaction, so you benefit the situation without even trying. A greater power begins to work through you, but can only do this once you let down all of your walls and attempts to be someone. We lose the self and gain the spirit. We in turn become the person God has intended and the life that is the will of God shows in all we do. We release and let go to ironically gain so much as grace is given unconditionally in the love of God in our lives. We in turn are saved from our own prison of despair.
But we must also be aware of the toll helping our friends in need can take on our own spiritual condition. It can weaken us emotionally and put us in a state that is susceptible to the flesh, So we must not neglect our own spiritual condition at the expense of helping our friend because then we lose our own connection with God and our ability to help ourselves and others. We are human here on earth and this aspect of who we are is flawed. It seeks self promotion by it's very nature and we must always make sure of our motives. Show true love. Show integrity of the spirit. Don't talk about helping others. Help them. Be there. Don't tell people you care. Care.
The question is: what type of friend do you desire to be?
Thanks be to God.
Little did I know two months later my sister would pass away, I would move to my parents, my marriage would end, I would be separated from my family, I would struggle to get through Masters Courses without internet, I would be laid off twice, feel more alone than I could recall, and struggle to maintain my ability to keep my life in the spirit.
This year has been one of my toughest ever. I lately have broken down and felt as tired and as weak and as alone as I ever have. So I reach out. I reach out to God and the Spirit. God, in turn, gives us strength in friendship. We as Christians must be cognizant and aware of the struggles of those we love and care for. We must be able to lose ourselves in the love and care for those among us who suffer. I try to reach out and be there for friends both old and new. I feel at times that I am inadequate and that my efforts are so small compared to what I receive in blessings and grace. So I try. I pray. I constantly check my motives so I may be of use. Still even today I feel I am short changing the spirit and capable of more in terms of helping my friends.
Last night I was told a friend of mine had attempted suicide. I had just visited with her that day. I saw no indication she would do such a thing and I thought long and hard about why the spirit in me didn't recognize my friend and her pain. Was I too caught up in my own issues and my own concerns. I really spent much time that night examining myself. As the scripture says, "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?" 2 Corinthians 13:5. and "Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD." Lamentations 3:40. We must be in constant contact with God and the spirit. We must always examine our motives and check to see if we are under the guide of God and his image so we may be there for those who hurt.
There have been times in your life when you have known pain, loneliness, sadness, difficulty, doubt, hopelessness, and there was another side to it where we came through and the grace of God was revealed. The acts of our Christian friends are those we remember and build our own behaviors upon to help others.
There is a need for us to be friends to those who are close to us not only in times of joy but especially in times of need and trouble. Those are indeed the days we will be needed the most and reflect the love of the spirit that lives within us in ways God always intended us to demonstrate. We cannot be Christians and fully experience the spirit without having compassion, empathy, and a desire to be there for those who hurt. Faith without works is dead says the book of James and it tells us we must put into action the love we are given by God and the spirit so it can bring more to him and the care can be returned to others.
God's Word tells us that a friend sticks closer than a brother, and that in order for one to be a friend, one must show themselves friendly. Proverbs 18:24 tells us the difference between worldly companions and the friends who live in the spirit. " A man of many companions may come to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." We must be closer than a brother to those we call friends and it is our duty to be the Christ with in for those in need.
We must lose ourselves and focus our love upon our friends and those who hurt and the grace of God will be experienced. We must have the faith that God has us. Then we turn to our friends and give of ourselves. We can't become caught up in who we are and what the flesh desires or we will fail to delight ourselves in the Lord. We must let go of concerns over self image and who we think others feel about us and release all forms of ego and pride so we can be the friend we need to be. We must release the need to be somebody and the pride of self so that the spirit can have it's way with us.
When interacting with others, have no expectations of yourself. You do not have to prove anything or do anything to make the other person happy or more comfortable. Just be love. Be that spirit within. Experiment with this.
You may well find, that then you behave in a totally natural and useful way. When you give up your need to be someone or act a certain way to uphold an illusory self concept, or to gain any external (or internal) approval, suddenly you are freed from all anxiety or fear. You become completely real and authentic.
From this place your natural state of peace and relaxed joy flows into your interaction, so you benefit the situation without even trying. A greater power begins to work through you, but can only do this once you let down all of your walls and attempts to be someone. We lose the self and gain the spirit. We in turn become the person God has intended and the life that is the will of God shows in all we do. We release and let go to ironically gain so much as grace is given unconditionally in the love of God in our lives. We in turn are saved from our own prison of despair.
But we must also be aware of the toll helping our friends in need can take on our own spiritual condition. It can weaken us emotionally and put us in a state that is susceptible to the flesh, So we must not neglect our own spiritual condition at the expense of helping our friend because then we lose our own connection with God and our ability to help ourselves and others. We are human here on earth and this aspect of who we are is flawed. It seeks self promotion by it's very nature and we must always make sure of our motives. Show true love. Show integrity of the spirit. Don't talk about helping others. Help them. Be there. Don't tell people you care. Care.
The question is: what type of friend do you desire to be?
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