HIS LOVE IS GREATER THAN MINE

Have you ever done something to help a friend, and ended up hurting him instead? Was it something you were certain would bring relief, but all it did was bring more pain? Sometimes in an attempt to lessen a friend's pain and ease a breaking heart, we attempt to fix something that we don't really understand. Only the Holy Spirit does. Sometimes the Holy Spirit does guide and give direction to encourage our friends, but it is always His place to do the work. We can't fix anything. Only He can. Look at Job's friends. They thought that were helping Job with their advice, but they were only hurting with their words and accusations. They really didn't understand the larger picture, and neither do we. The best we can do is just be there and listen.

“Friendship is one of the sweetest joys of life,” C.H. Spurgeon wrote. “ Many might have failed beneath the bitterness of their trial had they not found a friend." This is the kind of friend I wish to be.... one who knows he can't solve the problem, but one who realizes that in listening to my friend's heart, I have given the very best I can give.

Lord, help us to be able to always say....
"So today, please forgive me, friend, if I make mistakes that hurt you. I don't do them on purpose. I try to be the best friend that I can be, but I often fail in my attempt. My heart hurts for you, but so many times I try to help you, and all I do is confuse and try to fix things that I should never attempt to fix. The best I can do for you is pray for you and ask the Holy Spirit to make me sensitive to your needs, and keep me from making mistakes or saying things that hurt you. I will always pray for your healing and for God to heal the pain in your life. If He wishes to use me, I will make myself available. But I will never assume it is my place to do anything but surrender to Him. I pray that in our mutual surrender, you will one day discover His peace and joy, and I will discover a greater depth in my walk with the Lord. I pray we both discover those unknown depths of His love and are filled to overflowing with His abundant life.”

There is no greater love than when we give our lives for our friends. We must lay down all our human judgment or preconception or expectation. We must release all this so then we are free to love. We just love with His love, and then all things are possible.