The Sweet Fragrance of Friendship

“Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel.” Proverbs 27:9 ESV

Hey Precious Mama,

I’ve been thinking about friendship quite a bit lately, maybe because life can be so overwhelming at times, but maybe because it can also be that much more hope-filled with the gift of friendship that Jesus gives us through Himself and others! I don’t find it a coincidence the Lord allowed me to walk through a few very difficult weeks leading up to writing this encouragement for you today! He’s so personal and detailed and loves you more than you will ever know!

We recently found out my husband was diagnosed with a chronic autoimmune disease that could potentially damage any part of his body, which has caused our family’s lives to shift drastically in many ways. Though lifelong, it is fortunately manageable and treatable. The following week our good friend had a severe seizure, where they discovered a non-malignant brain tumor that now involves extensive surgery and post-op recovery over the next few months. That same day we were at a doctor’s appointment for our son, when we were given an unexpected developmental disorder diagnosis. Let’s just say this has been so much to process at once; however, it’s also made me that much more grateful to walk through life together with our community of friends, knowing these types of trials are too much for any one person to carry on their own, and our good Father never intended us to!

No matter what kind of struggle you are facing, Jesus is here waiting to catch you, friend! At the heart of our God’s very nature and being is relationship. His very existence shouts this! He is the God of the trinity, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who is three in one. One does not exist without the other, and all roles co-exist together in perfect harmony and communion. This very same God came down from all of heaven’s glory to a fallen, broken world in order to pursue us in a relationship! Stop and ponder this for a moment. The God of the universe longs for friendship and intimacy with you! Wow!

Remember that trust fall activity you played as a kid at camp so many years ago? He longs for us to fall back in full surrender as a child again, knowing He will catch us in His great, big, mighty arms, no matter how far the fall may be, and trusting Him through the process. There is nothing He allows in our lives without good intentions and a specific purpose to be used for His glory and our good. Our perfect Father knows how to use suffering with utmost precision and care, the way a skilled surgeon does in a crucial surgery. Allow Him to, and then allow Him to use it to bring hope and comfort to the lives of our friends who will also need it, and need Him!

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 2 Corinthians 1:3-5

We are made to access the gift of friendship throughout life. There are times that we’ll need to lovingly sacrifice by helping push or pull our friend’s wagon uphill. But, there will be other seasons when our friend is the one pulling the load of our wagon, and we may need to receive what’s being offered or ask for help. There is a place for mutual giving and receiving in friendship; each requires humility, and each is an incredible gift. Let’s linger in and soak up the sweet aroma of our Savior and His gifts all around us today, and then let’s ask which wagon we need to be in currently.

In His Sweet Love,
Krystle Gray & the Help Club for Moms Team

Want more encouragement, Mama? Go to myhelpclubformoms.com, our NEW mentoring platform!

Krystle Gray
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