We need this, though we may reject it: a circle of community.
Along with being hard-wired by an intelligent God for relationship with Him, we humans also have a need for relationship with one another. As women, we seek those female friendships out from the time we’re little girls.
Then little girls become big girls and often somewhere in between…
we may have gotten hurt.
I was one of those only-have-one-best-friend-at-a-time kind of teens. My circles of girlfriends were wide, from church youth group to school to music friends, but I still only gave my heart away to one, maybe two.
She was my best friend and we did everything together. I went to her house and she to mine, and our mothers laughed that we were kind of inseparable.
It was true. My heart is full of beautiful memories from age nine to twenty-one with this sister-like girlfriend of mine.
And then we weren’t friends anymore.
Just like that, one incredibly difficult situation that neither of us could see through split the relationship in half, splintered it actually. Overnight it seemed, I lost a part of me — her.
In typical ‘protect yourself‘ mode, I nursed the wounds from that separation for a long time. A really l-o-n-g time. I wished someone had been brave enough to tell me then what I’d like to say today:
It wasn’t healthy :: It wasn’t godly :: It wasn’t good.
I share that story with hope of gaining some credibility with your heart as I speak boldly in this post. Sisters, we need community. No man is an island. We reject the very plan of a wise God when shielding ourselves indefinitely.
The hurts or difficulties of past relationships with women…of rejections, mistrust…maybe you’ve been separated from a friend through brokenness…through physical loss…whatever the situation,
there is healing and hope and a new day ahead.
Care to pray with me?
Father, we want to honor your ways even when it’s difficult…help us Lord. Help our unbelief. Moving forward while looking back just isn’t wise, and you have good plans in store for us – healthy relationships and community ahead. Give us heavenly vision Lord! Gently remove the scales of wounds nursed and hurts cradled and allow us to see what You see — to live as you’ve asked us to live.
We give ourselves to you…
Amen.
{tomorrow I’ll share on three relationships we need as women. Hope to see you then…GRACE sisters…abundant, lavish GRACE.}
