I think we forget sometimes that people are people – imperfect and flawed. We all are. It’s easy to run to judgement, or if it’s our personality, run away from conflict. But that’s the point, we’re all different. And the different in someone else is not necessarily bad. Sometimes God will put us together with someone very different from us to see how we will treat them. I believe that, because I believe His word: As iron sharpens iron,
So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. (Proverbs 27:17)

What does it mean to sharpen the countenance of a friend? I think it means to make the friend more beautiful. They knock off flaws in you as you knock off flaws in them. But the process of doing that may not be pleasant. We may need to extend grace and forgiveness. We may need to receive grace and forgiveness. It might allow God to uncover areas in our life that we’ve held onto that we need to let go of. Our friends see us in a way that we can’t see ourselves because we’re pretty good at justifying our behavior sometimes.

If you feel stuck in a relationship with a friend that you want to get out of, ask yourself why? Why does that person rub you the wrong way? Ask God to show you. Ask Him to show you what you should repent of. Ask Him to help you love that person and see them the way God does. In the end, you may have found the best friend you ever had.

I love that David was honest with God. He knew his own weaknesses and he knew that God was his help. He didn’t try to hide the fact that he messed up and confessed his sin. And when he did, he could stand before God with a righteous soul. He was bold enough to ask God, Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind. (Psalm 26:2)

Most of us would rather not ask God to do that. We’re afraid of what He would find, things we know are lurking in the places we try to hide in our hearts. How silly! God sees everything. He knows us better than we know ourselves. We’re afraid that God will judge us if we open up in real honesty. But we’re missing the point.

David understood that to confess his sins made him clean before God. He didn’t want anything to block that relationship. It’s for our benefit to have God shine a light on the dark places of our heart so we can ask forgiveness and be cleansed. There’s freedom there and peace of mind. God wants that for us, for our own good.

There’s a place that feels right, that feels centered. When we know we are right with God, it’s the most secure place in the world. There’s a peace there that you can’t find anywhere else. It’s where we hear His voice, where we sleep the best, where we are free to dream. But human that we are, we will wander away. Sometimes we wander so far it’s hard to know how to come home.

Sometimes we wander through neglect. We stop reading our Bible. We stop going to church, or skip it regularly. We ignore that still, small voice that tells us to be responsible with our faith. Sometimes we don’t just wander, we knowingly make choices that are bad for us. That’s the most dangerous because rebellion makes hearing God almost impossible. The enemy is convincing when it comes to justifying our bad decisions and the longer we allow ourselves to listen to lies, the harder it is to come back.

If you’re lucky, your spirit will feel conviction. That’s different from guilt. Guilt makes you feel worthless with no possible redemption. Conviction knows what is wrong and what is right with the hope of forgiveness. Once you recognize conviction, it’s up to you to do something about it. That’s why we’re told to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,” (Philippians 2:12) No one can do it for you. You have to make the choices that bring you back.

The first thing to do is to ask God for forgiveness. It’s the easiest thing to do. Just admit that you screwed up. Admit your anger, frustration, fear, or whatever it is that you know you have to let go of. Ask God to forgive you and help you. The weight that falls off will feel like a breath of fresh air.

The second thing to do is stop the direction that took you away from God. You can’t just ask for forgiveness and carry on doing the same wrong things. You have to decide to make changes. They may be only minor changes, or they may be big ones. Ask for help if you need it. Find someone you respect and get help.

And then start doing what you know you need to do. Allow the Holy Spirit to help you get centered again. Spend time with Him. Enjoy His company. Be refreshed in your spirit. Papa is so welcoming and loving. He wants you to be safe. Once you come home, look back and see what took you away and be aware so it doesn’t happen again. The stronger you grow as a believer, the harder it will be to wander away. Then you’ll be the one people come to for help.