I am not a baker. I mean, I bake but that's not my thing in the kitchen. I think it's that everything has to be exact. I am more of a "a little bit here, a little bit there" kind of a cook. I do know, however, that sugar makes everything a little bit sweeter.
I have friends that are like sugar. They make my life sweeter. They bring a richness that enrich my life and make it better. I like those sweet friends. They're easy and usually make me feel good about myself. The sweet friends bring about a unique positivity.
Unlike baking, I LOVE a good DIY project. I peruse Pinterest drinking my coffee pinning all the projects. I usually tackle too much and have to elicit the help of my husband in some way. I love watching a grainy piece of wood transform into a piece of furniture or a shelving unit sanding down each piece exposing the grain line by line. By the end of the project, I am usually covered in stain and sawdust. Sandpaper is my friend transforming a rough pallet I found on our lot into a piece of art to hang on our wall reminding us of our journey.
I have friends that are like sandpaper. They are not afraid to have the hard honest conversations with me exposing the splinters and roughness within me. My sandpaper friends are not the ones I want to run to but know I need. They are the real deal; the ones who last a lifetime and know the pit of my soul. They aren't afraid of conflict even though I'd rather everything be sunshine and lollipops. I need my sandpaper friens. My soul needs them.
God allows people to ebb and flow from our lives bringing a little sugar and a little sandpaper knowing we absolutely need both. We need the sweetness to fill our spirits and reassure us that we are loved; we are valuable. We need our sandpaper friends to smooth out the edges transforming us into the beautiful creation God designed.
If we only allow our sugary friends to feed into us, we become dense and ill. If we only allow our sandpaper friends to constantly sand down our soul, we thin out and get weary. We don't always invite that sandpaper into our lives because it's scary and hurts. We get off-balance. Sometimes God will bring in a sandpaper friend because even though we don't want it, we need it. If we don't have the friend whose going to speak truth into our lives, we become a little too dense. We don't grow or change because our sweet friends are filling are egos just enough to leave us the same. If God doesn't bring the sandpaper into our lives, we miss an opportunity from him to refine us and use us in a greater capacity.
The same is true when he brings us our sugary sweet friends unexpectedly. We all need those people who breath life into our souls helping us to see our value and worth. God will bring these sweet souls into our life unexpectedly and just when we need it. I know I have been on the receiving end of this sweetness through cards and unexpected words of encouragement at the exact time I need it.
God knows the state of our souls. As much as we try to stuff and hide, he knows the matters of our heart. He cares far more for us than we can ever imagine. Because of this, he will send sweet and sandpaper friends into our lives whether we are searching for them or not. These friends may not even know they are being used by God in this way and I can almost guarantee that your sandpaper friends would MUCH rather be the sugar in your life.
Let your friends be who God is calling them to be in your life. He knows what you need. Trust him in your relationships knowing that each and every one is formed to teach you something more about your Savior. Don't run from the sandpaper friends in your life for the refining they may do will help you get rid of the splinters to be re-purposed for His glory. Keep those sugary sweet ones close, as well, for they will remind you how very valuable you are to Jesus and this world.
"Better is open rebuke Than love that is concealed. 6Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy." Proverbs 27:6
Love & Blessings,
Meg
I have friends that are like sugar. They make my life sweeter. They bring a richness that enrich my life and make it better. I like those sweet friends. They're easy and usually make me feel good about myself. The sweet friends bring about a unique positivity.
Unlike baking, I LOVE a good DIY project. I peruse Pinterest drinking my coffee pinning all the projects. I usually tackle too much and have to elicit the help of my husband in some way. I love watching a grainy piece of wood transform into a piece of furniture or a shelving unit sanding down each piece exposing the grain line by line. By the end of the project, I am usually covered in stain and sawdust. Sandpaper is my friend transforming a rough pallet I found on our lot into a piece of art to hang on our wall reminding us of our journey.
I have friends that are like sandpaper. They are not afraid to have the hard honest conversations with me exposing the splinters and roughness within me. My sandpaper friends are not the ones I want to run to but know I need. They are the real deal; the ones who last a lifetime and know the pit of my soul. They aren't afraid of conflict even though I'd rather everything be sunshine and lollipops. I need my sandpaper friens. My soul needs them.
God allows people to ebb and flow from our lives bringing a little sugar and a little sandpaper knowing we absolutely need both. We need the sweetness to fill our spirits and reassure us that we are loved; we are valuable. We need our sandpaper friends to smooth out the edges transforming us into the beautiful creation God designed.
If we only allow our sugary friends to feed into us, we become dense and ill. If we only allow our sandpaper friends to constantly sand down our soul, we thin out and get weary. We don't always invite that sandpaper into our lives because it's scary and hurts. We get off-balance. Sometimes God will bring in a sandpaper friend because even though we don't want it, we need it. If we don't have the friend whose going to speak truth into our lives, we become a little too dense. We don't grow or change because our sweet friends are filling are egos just enough to leave us the same. If God doesn't bring the sandpaper into our lives, we miss an opportunity from him to refine us and use us in a greater capacity.
The same is true when he brings us our sugary sweet friends unexpectedly. We all need those people who breath life into our souls helping us to see our value and worth. God will bring these sweet souls into our life unexpectedly and just when we need it. I know I have been on the receiving end of this sweetness through cards and unexpected words of encouragement at the exact time I need it.
God knows the state of our souls. As much as we try to stuff and hide, he knows the matters of our heart. He cares far more for us than we can ever imagine. Because of this, he will send sweet and sandpaper friends into our lives whether we are searching for them or not. These friends may not even know they are being used by God in this way and I can almost guarantee that your sandpaper friends would MUCH rather be the sugar in your life.
Let your friends be who God is calling them to be in your life. He knows what you need. Trust him in your relationships knowing that each and every one is formed to teach you something more about your Savior. Don't run from the sandpaper friends in your life for the refining they may do will help you get rid of the splinters to be re-purposed for His glory. Keep those sugary sweet ones close, as well, for they will remind you how very valuable you are to Jesus and this world.
"Better is open rebuke Than love that is concealed. 6Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy." Proverbs 27:6
Love & Blessings,
Meg
Comments