You're Invited!

In a class like ours we have the opportunity to experience a variety of relationships with a diverse group of people. Naturally friendships are forged-often as a result of common experiences and shared interests. Whether you have kids at similar ages and stages of development, share similar occupations, or have a mutual affection for all things Transformers, it is likely that you have found yourself drawn to a specific circle of friends within our Life Group.

Or maybe you've looked around and noticed that some couples share a deeper friendship with one another-one that extends past the casual "How are you's" and other niceties of Sunday morning. And maybe you've wished that you could be included. Because what these couples have is the real deal-a core group of friends who laugh together, cry together, pray for one another, and trust each other with their hopes and fears.

But instead of praying for the Lord to bring you this same blessing, or thanking Him for what He is doing in the lives of our classmates, you instead wonder-Why am I being left out?

It can start innocently enough. Your BFF received a Christmas card from a couple in the class, but no matter how many times you've visited your mail box, you don't have one. Or you're doing your daily blog stalking and see that someone had a get together. Many of the faces in the pics are familiar-and look like they are having a blast-and you think it may be because you aren't there. Or you're sitting in class surrounded by a sea of empty chairs, and you know you bathed and wore deodorant. And suddenly it seems clear-there is something wrong with you, nobody likes you, and they wouldn't be your friend if you were the last person on earth.

Seem extreme? Okay, maybe a bit-but regardless of how irrational your thoughts may get, you are now exactly where Satan wants you. You are about to embark on a journey where Jealousy, Resentment, and Bitterness will accompany you to a one person party at the house of Pride thrown by Pity, Revenge and ultimate host Hatred. Hey, you wanted to be included in something, right?

If you've never been to this event, count yourself fortunate. Because friends, I have been hanging out at this party for awhile now and it stinks. There are no refreshments-not even queso, no party games or Wii-and most of all, no real friends. Trust me, it is not something you ever want to receive an Evite for.

But seriously, I write this post to share with you that I have been struggling with this for some time now, and some of you have been open enough to share with me that you have been having a hard time in this area too. So I pray that what I write here, what the Lord has been showing me, will be an encouragement to you and be a safe-guard for all of us in the future.

The Bible says that the Lord has a plan for each of us-"plans to prosper [us] and not to harm [us], plans to give [us] hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11). That plan is super-detailed and even includes the people that come in and out of our lives. As the Lord led me to think about some of the couples in our class, and the paths that they are on, I realized that many of them have been gifted with close friendships right as a time of crisis and hardship entered their lives. Who needs Godly friends more than a family who is facing unemployment? Or illness? Or any sort of life-altering change?

How selfish of me to begrudge these couples their friendships when clearly the Lord has given them exactly what they need! I know that He will do the same for me-and very well may have done so already, which I would have noticed if I wasn't so busy being jealous of everyone else. I must say friends, I am humbled and appalled at the filthiness that is constantly being purged from my heart.

Time to replace the bitterness with some different and much more holy actions.

1. Be content!
1 Timothy 6:6 reminds me that "godliness with contentment is great gain." Instead of grumbling about what others have, I should be thankful for what God has given me. Do I really want to take all that God has provided me and say to Him that it isn't good enough? Unfortunately, in my sin, I pretty much already have and it is not working for me. So I'm going to go after the contentment thing.

2. Rejoice with those who rejoice!
Ever since I was little this verse has always stuck in my head-obviously in the far, cobwebbed reaches as of late-but still enough for the Lord to bring it forth again and show me how it applies to my current situation. Romans 12: 15-16a goes on to say, "Mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud . . ." The verse is not written with conditions-so you really don't get to choose if you rejoice. I'm not allowed to wait until things are going good for me to rejoice over my classmates. I'm just supposed to rejoice-period. And did you notice how pride and rejoicing are not conducive to each other? Yep, rejoicing is an unselfish act that puts our focus back on the Lord. Because "every good and perfect gift . . . [comes] down from the Father of the heavenly lights," (James 1:17)-and that is definitely rejoice-worthy.

I know that I am human, and that I will only be able to do these things through the power of the Holy Spirit in me. I will probably feel lonely again, but now I have the tools to keep Satan at bay. But more than anything, should any of us ever feel lonely, excluded or just not "in" with the cool kids, remember this:

"There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24) and that is Christ! The good news is that He wants to be your friend. He doesn't play favorites and He will always include you and return your phone calls! We can ALL have a deep, personal relationship with Him. And when we accept His free gift of salvation and enter into a relationship with Him, we are immediately guaranteed an invite to the best get-together of all-eternity with Him!