Pathway of Friendship

Friends. They are amazing. They are needed. But for one reason or another, they come and go from our lives. Five years of close friendship and all of a sudden it’s like it never happened. Growing up together and then one day you just aren’t as close as you used to be. How do these things happen? Is it something I did? It isn’t necessarily one persons fault, it’s just the pathway of friendship. Some last forever and others just a short time.

Lately I find myself feeling quite lonely. I am constantly telling my parents that I have no friends and that all I do is hang out with them. The thing is, this is NOT true. Over the last few weeks I’ve been realizing just how many amazing friends I have. I have an amazing group of girls at church who love me unconditionally and completely. I have an absolutely amazing best friend who is constantly showing and telling me just how much I mean to her. I have a handful of other random friends who I know have my back and care about me. I am beyond blessed by the people in my life. So why do I let the few friends that have come and gone affect me so much?

I look at my life and those friendships that have caused me so much pain and asked myself what went wrong? Relationships take work, and sometimes one person decides it isn’t worth it anymore and they leave. They replace you with something better. I see now that they aren’t replacing me because they don’t like me or don’t care about me, they just don’t need me anymore and I guess that’s okay.

We all have individual paths in life. Our paths are constantly crossing with people who play a role in our lives, but time goes on and our paths uncross and we separate. I am coming to see that letting people walk out of my life takes grace, it takes kindness and understanding. God only knows why people come and go and I’m glad I always have Him by my side.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11