Expecting #27 -- Seasons of Friendships

I have not struggled with friendships all my life -- I just never felt like I got the proper instruction on how to be a good friend.  As a kid, my closest friends were people that were 'like' me...I was a farm girl and so therefore, I gravitated to the other farm girls within my class.

As I grew older, I did not have to make new friends because I was protect -- I had the same group of classmates for eight years -- so each summer, when I was at the farm - doing our farm life - others went on vacations and so forth.  So, when school started, there was much to talk about, as maybe I had seen one of my closer friends at a Dairy Breakfast or Farm Implement Event....but basically -- my 'best' friends were my siblings.

Then the world changes -- and you get your license and find a job and the world opens.  But again, those close were few.

So when I see a group of women and I can tell that a few of them are extremely close -- like BEST friends -- I sometimes - don't quite get it.

But...as I have gotten older, and walked within my path and journey in life...God has brought women to me and has drawn me closer to women that have become like sisters to me....and some of them were only for a season....and others, no matter what transpires -- it seems like JUST yesterday when we sat together until midnight discussing something or getting our classrooms ready....

I am thankful for the women friends that God has brought to me...and blessed with me.

I found this in another's blog as I have prayed all day about WHAT God wanted me to share about seasons of Friendships  and I believe HE brought me to this blog to share it:

 My friend, take my advice; it will add years to your life.  I’m writing out clear directions to Wisdom Way, I’m drawing a map to Righteous Road.  I don’t want you ending up in blind alleys, or wasting time making wrong turns.  Hold tight to good advice; don’t relax your grip.  Guard it well – your life is at stake!”  Proverbs 4:10-13, The Message

Friendships change--- yet as women we often struggle with letting go of friendships that are no longer fruitful. Not letting go is rooted in fear and fear always leads to torment. Letting go allows us to trust God with our friendships, and when we are willing to let go and let God, He will either bring the friendship around in due time or bring in new friendships that will propel us forward into our destiny.

Here is what God has shown me:
A right association in a right season = right results
A wrong association in any season = wrong results
And a right association in a wrong season = wrong results

The word “season” in the Greek is “karios.”  “Karios” is defined in the Strong’s Concordance as, “an opportune time, set time, appointed time, definitive time, proper time for action and tells us of special happenings that are to occur during a certain time frame.” It is important that we know the season we are in and whom we are to associate with for such a time as this.

There are seasonal places to live, positions of employment, hobbies, and friendships, which in the right season are a huge blessing.  This is why we need God’s supernatural wisdom in every area of our life…including our friendships! Proverbs 7:4-5 in the NKJV states, “Say to Wisdom, you are my sister, and call understanding your nearest kin, that they may keep you from *wrong relationships, from *wrong associations who flatter with their lips.”(*Words changed from immoral woman and seductress to wrong associations/relationships by author).

We are entering a season where it is vital that we heed God’s wisdom in our lives.  Our obedience is vital to the Kingdom of God. It is time for us to let go of the childish things and grab onto Jesus with all of your might.  Jesus is the Right association all the time!!!!  - Lisa Hurst 

Prayer:
“Lord, I cry out for Wisdom this day.  I give you permission to show me any wrong associations in my life.  Help me to let them go in order to grab onto You and the right associations for such a time as this.  I want to go higher in You and I declare that You are the Right association at all times!  Show me the times and seasons.  Amen.”

I believe the HOly Spirit brought me to that blog for a reason....

I believe the women that participated in the Women's Encounter Weekend last weekend, were blessed with new friends.  

I believe that many of us -- need to be wise and realize that we MUST see and HEED God's wisdom in our lives and not rely on the advice of our friends.....but SEEK HIM.  

I agree with the blog author -- our obedience is vital to the Kingdom of God.  

When I stop and think about the women that God has brought into my life and how they played a part in a 'season' of my life...I am MOST grateful and thankful.  As each of them - is still dear, each of them played a big part, and each of them blessed me.  

I pray that I am such a blessing to the women that God 'takes' me too... for a season.  

I pray that each of us will evaluate and check -- and make sure that our friendships are indeed helping us to always go forward and point us to the Cross...to HIM...as HE - Jesus, God, and the HOly Spirit -- are our best friends....they won't fail us.   

Amen.  

Lord, I thank you for the women that will read this and I pray it speaks to them this eve...for my friends...the ones that are very close and the ones that I only get to speak to once in a blue moon ....GOD, I pray that each of them would continue to seek you - that they would see You in me...and that -- I would never give any advice  that was not from YOU.... BE in each and every season Lord..amen.