FREEDOM IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH EACH OTHER

 Often as Christians we love grace and go on and on about how God isn't good to us (or our relationship to Him doesn't change) based off what we give him and how much time we spend with Him (He loves us freely), and then we are still people who hold strict accounts with our friends. Whereas He loves us freely and unconditionally, we sometimes act with others as if they're in our debt and they must work in order earn our love or maintain it. While giving of ourselves to others in friendship is important, we are all imperfect friends, and cannot have friendship with others based off of whether they are seeing us or imputing to us as much as we'd want, because then the friendship isn't one of grace, love and freedom, but one of debt, burden and guilt. 

Jesus has given us a good example of how to relate to each other in family and friendship and it is based off of grace, love and freedom, so we should be inspired to mirror the same thing, otherwise we'll always be disappointed with others (and get frustrated and angry) and relate to them out of manipulation for what we want. This is no way to relate to others. We should let God be sovereign in friendships and family (let Him make the connections He sees as good and beneficial, and also allow Him to close doors that aren't), and be free with each other, realising our own shortcomings, and in that way we'll guard against being hurt, and let His love be that which sustains us, and blesses others. 

Sometimes God establishes strong connections with others in our lives, and at other times ones that aren't so strong. Sometimes there are seasons for certain friends, and sometimes those seasons come around again or never happen again, but each have their purpose and place, and times. What is great though is that no matter what happens, each Christian friendship, no matter how it is experienced in this life, will be reunited one day in heaven and so is not experienced in vain! The Bible tells us that all else in this life will fade, but love never fails! Love doesn't pass away, so He will ensure that all relationships to do with friendship and family last in the way that He sees as good! An encouraging thought!