Faithful Friends

I have been battling a storm lately that is unlike any storm I could prepare for and oddly enough for nearly a week I heard the word prepare continuously. I'm not sure I like that word any more. We pray to God, asking Him to help us and when He does by whispering words to us we turn and say don't help like that, help by just taking it away! If only it were that easy, yet if I'm honest I'm not sure I want Him to "just take it away" for it's through the storms in my life I've grown the most, learned the most. It's also through those storms I've developed deeper relationships.

My current storm is one of multiple levels and varying degrees and honestly it's taking it's toll on me physically, mentally, and emotionally. I'm tired. I'm fighting a cold. My mind is racing all the time. But in the midst of all of this my friends have gone to a deeper level with me, praying on my behalf, crying with me, helping me figure out what the next step needs to be. I have seen God work through the people in my life in amazing ways and I must say it's been a privilege to not only watch but to feel.

I have a very deep relationship with Christ, I'm grounded in my faith and I know without a doubt I am loved by God; I also still have moments of struggling with does He still love me, will He get us through this, is He truly a good God all the time. I struggle with wondering if He's left us, wondering if we'll endure this and come out better, wondering if I have done something wrong. Lately my faith has been tested in ways it's never been tested before...and then God raised my faith through my friends...just like Job.

My friends remind me of truth and they remind me I am not alone in this journey. My friends are God on Earth.

Do I wish this particular storm hadn't come? Yes. Am I grateful for what's brought? Yes. I am fully aware we aren't out of this one yet and I'm fully aware we will endure more as the years pass but what this one in particular has taught me is God has been faithful in bringing people into my life through which He works to reassure me He has not left me, He does truly love me, and He will see us through this so we come out better. God is truly good all the time...even when we can only feel tears running down our face, God is good.