Profound Friendships

I shall write this post quickly. "Why", you ask? Because it is an illicit blog post. I'm supposed to be doing something else. I logged on just long enough to check my email. Yeah right. And then... I can't help myself. So now, I'm listening to Chopin and blogging. So far about absolutely nothing.

Blog topics that seem possible:
Money: Why I Hate It
Sleep: Why I Need It
Socks: Are They Really Necessary?
Fleas: A Sure Sign of the Fall of Man
Lists: Why They Are The Answer To All My Problems

But instead, I think I'll tell you about a conversation I had today and the thoughts it made me think.

The Lord required me to give godly counsel to a friend concerning the pain in her relationship with her mother. Most of what I told her were things that I learned through applying the gospel to my own sin first and then to my mother's sin. As my friend and I talked, I had to talk about things that I hadn't even thought of in years. And I realized that my relationship with my mother still brings me pain. It still makes my heart ache and my head hurt. It still has the power to hurt me. Such deep hurt. (Now, if my friend is reading this, do not feel guilty for bringing it up. It was time.)

I hate that. I hate that it still hurts four years after her death. I hate that it's still confusing and all twisted up. I hope what I told my friend helps her. I hope her mother finds peace.

I spoke with another friend today. Our joke with one another is: "It must suck being you." We say it to make ourselves laugh because nothing else about certain situations will. My heart breaks for her and I find myself praying for her throughout the day. Today, as we talked, she made one of the most profound statements that I've heard in a while. She said, "I have thought before that this is the closest that I'll ever get to hell. But, ya know, this is the closest that some people will ever get to heaven."

There's a lot to that statement. A whole lot. It gives perspective. It gives hope. It gives a very good reason to share the gospel. It makes me think. And take a deep breath.

I am thankful for my friends and for the edifying that takes place in friendship. I am thankful for the work of the Spirit in my life. And I am thankful for the hope of heaven. For in heaven there are no broken relationships, no tearful goodbyes, no loss of hope. Hope will not be needed because we will have all we ever needed and more than we ever desired.

My friend said that a counselor asked her recently if she ever wanted to die. Durr... yeah. Not in a scary suicidal way but to live is Christ and to die is gain. Why would I want to stay here? Seriously. I'm just sayin'.