Friends for a Season
By Susan Klein
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…”
Ecclesiastes 3:1
Ralph Waldo Emerson once stated, “The only way to have a friend is to be one.” I think we can all agree that it takes much time and effort for good friendships to develop. That’s why it’s especially difficult, after we’ve cultivated and nurtured a relationship, to have someone move away or exit our lives. By Susan Klein
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…”
Ecclesiastes 3:1
Two of my dearest friends have moved. One is only about an hour away and the other is about 2,000 miles away! It hurts not having them near. I’ve questioned God as to why He would take these friends away from me. He reminded me that, though our relationships are long-distance, we are still friends. He also placed each of those women in my life at times when He knew I would really need them.
One of those dear women needs a heart transplant. I know that each day that she is still alive is a blessing from the Lord. When she lived nearby, she taught me so much about the importance of living everyday for the Lord. God also used her to teach me about compassion and unconditional love.
The other precious friend taught me about laughter. God placed her in my life during a time of despair, when her cheerful heart was like a medicine to my soul. Now we maintain our friendship mostly via email. When she writes, I can still hear the laughter in her voice as if she is in the room talking to me!
Then there are those friendships that just sort of fade as our children grow up, or we change jobs, or other circumstances of life interfere. But I truly believe that God places each of those women in our life for a reason, if sometimes only for a season. He is weaving a beautiful tapestry of friendships for us to learn from and to grow by. The bright orange in my tapestry is the friend who delights me with her humor. The deep crimson is my friend who needs a heart transplant. The earthy grey is my friend who is a spiritual rock and has challenged me to stand strong in my faith. The sunny yellow is the cheerful friend who spent many enjoyable hours on the beach with me in the summer when our kids were young.
As I reflect on the tapestry that God has yet to finish, I am not saddened. Instead, I am filled with anticipation as I look forward to each new season of life and the new vibrant colors God will weave in!
GOING DEEPER:
1. Reflect on the friendships God has woven into your life. What He has shown you through each of them?
FURTHER READING:
Proverbs 17:22; 1 Corinthians 16:13
Susan is a wife and mother of two. She leads a small group and teaches for Tuesday a.m. Bible Study.
