There are SO MANY people I call friends hurting right now. I’m a fix-it kind of girl. I want everyone happy and healthy with no issues to deal with in their life. Unrealistic, yes, but what’s wrong with wanting bliss for everyone in your life??
What do you say to your friend who is struggling with life? Unhappy in most aspects and just trying to find peace? I can pray for them and help them find whatever they think they need, but I can’t give them any words of wisdom that they haven’t heard already. How do you help them fix their world??
What do you say to your dear friend who is sick and no one knows what’s wrong? I can pray for the right doctors to be put in her path so she can get a plan in place for her care. For those doctors to give her an answer…any answer, but I can’t help her through the pain. How do you heal a crushed spirit?
What do you say to a sweet friend who is in a room waiting for her baby to come out of surgery after a horrific accident? I can offer her tangible help, cook a meal, pray for healing (for both physical and from the emotional trauma), but I can’t make everything better in the moment. How do you tell her everything is going to be okay when you don’t know that it is?
What do you say to the friend who is trying desperately to find reasons to love and reconnect with her husband when he’s made it so hard to? I can offer advice to the best of my knowledge and pray they find a way to reach each other again, but I can’t say anything that will fix it for them. How do you offer help without intruding or making things worse?
I suppose that’s the age old dilemma of friendship? Balancing hard truth with gentle compassion. Knowing when to back off and when to speak up. Trying to say the right thing at the right time to the right person, and knowing when to shut up. And the common denominator in all of this is prayer. Praying to find the words when you don’t know what to say, and seeking the wisdom to know when to say it.
Momma's Jungle 