Friendship Is A Gift From God

Friendship Is A Gift From God, published by Healthy Horizons Health and Wellness Magazine, 2012

Friendship is a gift from God.  In fact, love for your fellow man is arguably the best quality any person can possess.  I truly believe the relationships we form in this life are intended to teach us the true meaning of eternal love.  The Father wants us to long to be with Him and enjoy everlasting life, but He knows we are human and there is only so much faith in the unseen.  We can’t see Him, but we can see our loved ones in the flesh.  When someone we love dies, we always say that we long to be with them in Heaven.  I firmly believe we will be reunited in glory and we will know each other.  The love we share on this earth will be magnified in paradise.  Relationships are practice for eternity.  Whether it’s a romantic relationship, or simply a friendly relationship, the journey we take with another person can change our lives.  I am thankful for those who have shaped my life.  I dedicate this entry to all of my friends.

Today I had the opportunity to work with ten beautiful friends who suffer from depression or have a loved one who does.  It’s a new program at our church called “Emotional wellness.”  Before anyone arrived at the building this morning, I sat in the dim light and said a prayer on behalf of the congregation and the work we are doing at the Ohatchee Church of Christ.  I prayed that the Lord would bless each one of us and empower us to be open with one another.  He delivered!

We spent about two hours talking about personal struggles with the loss of loved ones, physical illnesses, childhood problems, divorce, and several other causes of depression , bipolar disorder, and other mental illnesses.  The goal was to create an environment where no judgment exists and each person can share their pain and seek encouragement and healing.  I was moved by the comments from my brothers and sisters.  We were in complete agreement that no more would we be ashamed of our plight.

There are three commitments I believe we have to make in order to conquer emotional issues.  The first is to pray about it.  Take everything to God in prayer.  I used to make excuses and say that I just hurt too much to pray.  I also felt that I was not worthy of God’s help because my faith seemed to be slipping.  What I had to realize is that God wants me to turn to Him in my hour of need.  As a Christian, I finally conformed.  There is nothing in life I can accomplish or even want to accomplish that I don’t take to him first.  I am one of those guys who tries to track everything I do, so I write it down.  I have a daily prayer journal and I write down my feelings, desires, needs, etc.  God is the first person I go to before my best friend, family, etc.

The second commitment is talk about it.  I will never make the mistake again of bottling it up inside.  It almost cost me my life several years ago.  Hiding from your problems will only make them worse.  True friends are there to listen even if they can’t do anything to help you.  Once I have told my thoughts to God, I can tell them to anyone.  I am no longer ashamed to say that I can’t always control my emotions.  I refuse to allow society to dictate how I live my life.  I encourage anyone who suffers from depression or related illnesses to confide in your friends and family.  It assigns accountability to yourself for your own actions.  It can keep you alive.  In addition to talking, you will find yourself actually listening.  In the emotional wellness workshop we each were able to gain insight on handling certain situations and realize that we were not alone.

The final commitment is be about it, which means do something!  Don’t be idle.  Be about it.  Get out and make something happen.  Go to the doctor.  Get some exercise.  Read about your condition online and find out what your options are.  Most people find medication to be helpful.  The most important thing to remember about taking medication for depression or other mental illnesses is that we are all different.  What works for someone else’s chemical imbalance may not work the same for yours.  Also, there is a need for trial and error.  Our bodies are always changing and if one medication does not work, it’s very possible that another one will.  You have to take control just as if it were any other physical illness.  You must manage it exactly the same.  Please do not be sedentary when dealing with mental illness.  Mental illness is no respecter of persons.  It can affect anyone, regardless of age, race, gender, etc. 

Philippians 2:2 says, “Agree with each other.  Love each other.  Be deep spiritual friends.”  God instructs us to reach out to one another in an effort to prepare us for eternal love and eternal life.  We need to make every effort to be great friends with one another.  Small thoughtful acts of kindness are more important than grand gestures.  Friendship is built on equality and caring for one another.  I encourage everyone to cultivate circles of friends to walk with you along this journey of life.  It’s been a good day!