Built for Relationships

You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I’ll come running, running, yeah, yeah, to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I’ll be there, yes, I will

Family. Friends. People. What words come to mind when I say this? I’m sure one that doesn’t is PERFECT! Though in all reality, don’t we sometimes expect all these people around us to be perfect? We would never say that, of course, but if someone wrongs us, we’d definitely be hurt, and it might be pretty hard to forgive and forget. The thing is though, we’ve got to figure out how to because we need people. We need relationship. We were made to be close and talk deep and love gracefully.

I had a close group of friends in high school and did everything with them. They were my people! When I was a senior, I felt like they had abandoned me, and honestly, to this day I’m not sure why. Though I’m sure I did something hurtful, I wasn’t a strong enough person to really talk with them about it. Ever. Then we graduated and grew apart. I held a lot of hurt in my heart for a long time wishing I still had my close high school friends, but I didn’t. After many years, I decided it was finally time to let it go. I needed to forgive them because honestly, the only person I was hurting was myself.

Through social media, we’ve reconnected, and I have learned to love them again. For that, I am so grateful! But looking back, I wonder how I could’ve fixed the relationship earlier if I would’ve just talked about it! I don’t think we will ever have those close relationships because of all the time I wasted waiting for someone else to bring it up. From my heart to yours, don’t wait. Don’t wait for someone else to talk to you about how they hurt you. Don’t wait to fix a deep relationship you’ve had for many years. Friends and families have to be real with each other or we will never grow stronger. Sometimes the pain is worth the conversation. (Sometimes therapy is good, too!)

Forgiveness is imperative in relationship. We aren’t perfect, and if we are looking to hang out with perfect people who will never hurt us,  our social circle will be nonexistent. If you are craving deep relationships with others, make time to get together and ask hard questions. Talk about your goals and dream wild dreams together. Do you always have to go deep? Of course not. Laughing is so much fun, too! Just don’t be afraid to jump in once in a while and find out how your people are really doing. They need you. You need them.

Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. – Proverbs 15:22

Be brave this week and ask someone you love a hard question. Give them advice if they ask. Just listen if they don’t. Love them well and help them if they are in a rough season.

Greater Love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. – John 15:13

Don’t wait for your people to ask for help. See what they need and get up and do it for them!

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work; If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! – Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Take the initiative to find someone to help up this week!

People drive us crazy. People hurt us. People are not perfect. Yes, it’s true. But we were built for relationships, and we won’t find joy in this life without them.

Now, ain’t it good to know that you’ve got a friend
When people can be so cold?
They’ll hurt you, yes, and desert you
And take your soul if you let them, oh, but don’t you let them

This is just the soundtrack of our life.