A Thought on Friendships

Words haven't been coming easily to me lately. I, honestly, don't know why. Perhaps its the toll of a deployment, dragging my shoulders down. Perhaps it's how busy little E and I have been, how tired I am at the end of the day. Or perhaps, it's the state of my heart.
I've been struggling with some awful things lately. Jealously. Resentment. Discord.

I was reminded tonight that those ugly things mentioned above cannot abide next to love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control. They just can't.

Relationships can't have both. They have to be one or the other.

I was about to say that I wished I was a child again, that relationships were so much easier back then. But even looking back, I can see the ups and downs in friendships. The silly fights. The jealousy. the bickering.

This world seems to be filled with things that divide.

I truly believe the devil would like nothing better than to see us all separated. To see all of us without a friend in the world.

Because together we're powerful.

Together we love each other with the love of Christ.

Together we rejoice in the beautiful moments of this life.

Together we relish the still, peaceful times.

Together we learn what true patience and gentleness are about.

Together we encourage each other to live with self-control.

Friends are great like that. They encourage us to live life to the fullest, and to seek after what's truly important in this life.

It's tempting to focus on the weaknesses. To focus on where people fall up short.

I've been awful guilty of that lately.

But, does that really solve anything?

What about love?

Is love the better answer, at the end of the day?

I think it just might be.

 "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthians 13:13, HCSB).