What a day. I am already emotional and physically drained. That being said I’m not sure this is the best time to be writing this. Especially considering my day is far from over. So if I start rambling, please forgive me.
Today I have been to my CR (Celebrate Recovery) Step study at Graceview church and worship service at High Praises. I have a new discipleship class this afternoon. Both of my morning events were powerful in their own way—several people gave their lives to Christ today. This put me on a good emotional high for the trip home, even though I still felt troubled in my spirit (as of this writing I have not figured out why). My mind kept running back and forth between ministry involvement (one point in our service) and some thoughts concerning my relationship with someone in church today. This makes for an interesting car ride home (45 minutes worth).
I got home just as the staff had finished serving lunch to the residents, and walked into a conversation about one of our residents who recently moved due to shutting down our nursing facility. I was close to this resident while she lived at the center and was hoping to go visit her this week. During the course of the conversation, however, I found out that she passed away last night. I was rather heartbroken to think that I had missed one last opportunity to spend time with this precious lady.
That thought put on my mind the main reason why I am writing this. Papa God has been speaking to me lately about relationships—family, friends, even my future martial relationship. I have been challenged to (1) begin investing into the lives of other men for friendship and growth, (2) renew and grow my relationship with family members, and (3) start praying for and journaling to my future spouse.
What I thought about today is not a new thought. Actually, it hasn’t been that long ago that I was very painfully reminded about it. We never know when either of ours last day will come. So let me encourage you, if there is someone in your live that you feel you should get to know better, do not hesitate or put it off until tomorrow. Today, let that person know how you feel and get their input into how to build that relationship. Do not, I implore you, think that tomorrow will be soon enough, because that time may never happen.
Men, we are mostly terrible about opening up to other men and getting to know each other. I once heard a thought that has stuck with me and is a key reason why I do what I do. A man was challenged to look forward to the day of his funeral. He was asked the question, “who do you see carrying your casket? Are there six or eight guys that you have invested enough of yourself into that you can say that they would be your pallbearers?” It bothers me even to this day, (at least now, I am working on it) but, I had to say no. Even today, I cannot say that there are 6-8 men who would automatically step up (out of love and friendship) and be willing to carry my coffin.
If you have a family member that has become distant for some reason, do everything in your power to restore that relationship. Nothing that I can think of right now is worse than having a strained relationship (or none at all), with a member of the family. Now you may say that you have done everything in your power to fix things. If you can honestly say that, then I encourage you to pray that God would change hearts and fix that relationship.
If you have romantic feelings toward someone that you have not shared, you are wasting your most precious gift, time. Even if you find out they do not feel the same way, you will be saving time that would otherwise be wasted. If that person knows how you feel already, great! Continue to work on getting closer. Build that relationship. If for whatever reason your feelings toward that person have changed and you have not told them, tell them. Don’t wait!
Again, waiting is wasting time, and time is the one thing we can never buy, bargain, or steal more than what you have. You have only so many seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks and years in this life. Why waste any of that most precious gift due to fear or pride. Invest into people. Remember, whatever you plant, that will you harvest; whatever you reap, you will sow. Plant seeds of friendship, kindness, and love into other lives and watch what an amazing harvest you get back.
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