being a Loyal Friend.

I was reading through this book I have called The Handbook of Bible Application. The boys and Mark got it for me for Mother's Day one year when all the kids were very small. I use it to find a topic that I am struggling with or to find a topic that I should access in the Bible.

Today I was looking up Fruits of the Spirit...yes, I know I should just know where to go in the Bible, but I also like what this book has to say along with the Bible. I was going to do a topic on one of the Fruits for this Blog when I looked on my left side and it was on Friendship and specifically loyalty in friendship. If that wasn't a nudge I can't imagine what was.

A true friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need. Proverbs 17:17 TLB

It goes on to describe that real friendship involves face to face honesty. This week I needed to meet with a friend face to face and because of sickness I was not able to. I would have given anything to be able to be in her presence and talk through some struggles that we have recently gone through. But, it wasn't to happen. I pray that when I am better we can pick up where we left off and continue on as we were before. You see, I love this friend with all my heart and would never want anything to come between our friendship.

The book goes on to explain that the greatest evidence of genuine friendship is loyalty (and loyalty is described as "loving at all times")-being available in times of distress or personal struggles. I so want to be that kind of friend and I am finally realizing that I need to pray to be this type of person, in all of my friendships. I want to be there to cry with as well as laugh. I want to be the person that is called in times of need.

So many times we get frustrated with people because of what we think they did or didn't do right. Instead of walking away, we need to step back from it and think about the times that we have done something to someone else. How many times have we been in the shoes of the person that hurt us? How many times have we hurt others, either from not thinking about what we are saying or by just not being there for them? How many times have we let slip, words said during a conversation with a dear friend, to someone else and then regretted it fiercely? I know I have done all of these things at one time or another.

This is when it helps to stop and think before reacting or jumping to conclusions. It is that other word from the Fruits of the Spirit: Patience. I struggle with Patience almost as much as I struggle with Contentment! I have a lack of Patience with myself as well as others and situations. But, I am continually realizing IF Iwould have had Patience and took the time to wait and think, situations would have turned out so differently and I would see that the things that I have imagined rarely come true.

I have been so blessed to have many friends that forgive me when I do wrong to them and I truly pray that I will always stop and forgive and love them, too!

So, I have started a new thought when I am hurt...I say to myself and outloud...I am sure I have done this same thing to someone else at one time or another. And then I forgive and pray that I will be forgiven as well.

Because you can't have Love or Loyalty without forgiveness.