Blessings of Change

Community and connection are two of my favorite blessings. I’m wired to love. As an only child (shout out to lack of siblings awareness day lol), I grew up soliciting relationships to fill the void of not having sisters or brothers. I wasn’t aware of this until I was much older and had developed the habit of equating proximity with friendship. The pain that almost always ensued brought me to my knees on many occasions.

When blessed with deep, abiding friendship, I have cherished it immensely. I probably held on too tight at times for fear of another relationship dissolving outside of my control. But here’s what I have learned in my almost four decades of life -unless God is in it, it isn’t worth having. Of course, this applies to life in general, but it was also a very pertinent lesson for me in how I manage my circle.

Now that I’m older, and I am watching situations and people around me change, it makes me appreciate those in my corner that much more.

Sound Advice

A while back a friend said something that stuck with me. She said, “Withholding your testimony robs God of His glory that He is deserving and jealous of.” I was a little down about a relationship that had suddenly gone sour, and I considered the possibility that I had overshared the good things happening in my life. I was concerned that maybe all people could see were the opportunities given and not an accurate or balanced representation of what was happening in everyday life. I knew how good God had been, and in my haste to proclaim that goodness, I had neglected to provide the backstory to those blessings.

Y’all, God isn’t a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34, 35). The sun rises and the rain falls on the just and unjust (Matthew 5:45). There is no blessing without a backstory that details just how that blessing came to be. I must admit I am sometimes hesitant to share the hard because I never want to glorify it. But here’s the thing, maybe someone is out there still in the hard. They need to know that it’s possible to make it through because someone else did. And that, my friends, is the power of the backstory. We overcome (and others too) by the power of our testimony – all of it.

To Share or Not to Share

Should you now go and pen a tell-all of every trial, tribulation, or dark valley you’ve been through? Probably not. Let the Holy Spirit be your guide. I am committing to no longer being ashamed of the backstory, and when appropriate proclaiming a whole picture of the blessings being bestowed. Fair warning though, when seeing someone else’s blessings and comparing them to yours, you may want to ask yourself are you willing to have the same backstory they did. God is so good in that He tailors the backstory and the blessings for each individual.

So I’ve shared some of the backstory of my vulnerability when it comes to relationships. I can say with a grateful heart that God has truly showered me with a supportive and loving community – the blessing. I am glad that when one door closes, another opens with room to enjoy the view.