Lean Here

Just a simple observation today:

I have been learning the importance of leaning less on the friends God gives me and more on the God who gives me friends.

Not to say friends are not important...certainly they are. In fact they have been instrumental in my coping with the past couple of weeks. God gives us friends to lean on, but maybe I lean too much on them and not enough on Him. I mean, my friends are right here. They are physically present. I can touch them, hear them, see them, call them, email them, facebook them, text them, and holler down the hall at them. I can see when they smile. I can hear when they laugh. I can tell when they are frustrated with me and when they are excited for me. So I turn to them instead of to the God who has blessed me with them. I have made them a substitute, in some situations, and that is not fair. It's not fair to them. It's not fair to me. And it is certainly not fair for my Father in Heaven who wants that relationship with me.

I went to Jimmy for advice. I went to Jimmy for a safe place to unload my fears, doubts, and frustrations. I went to Jimmy to celebrate successes. When I needed a friend I thought of him first. And while he was a great friend, indeed I considered him my brother. But the Bible tells me there is a friend who is closer than a brother - and his name is Jesus.

Losing Jimmy has put things in a different perspective. Alot of things. Perhaps the most striking is the one I have regarding my relationship with Jesus.

Make of that what you will, but He has been clear with me on this one.