A Friend in Need

Got a phone call last night from a friend I lost touch with because of poor decisions. My heart ached a while back when I watched her make a huge mistake. Felt helpless to her. It was like trying to scream at a blind train engineer heading for a break in the rail, from about a mile away. In some ways I felt like I should have been on the train with her all along, and felt guilt for my own ignorance. A real friend would have warned her sooner. But I hadn't seen the warnings myself. Last night was like watching her crawl out from under the wreckage.

Now what?
What do I have to offer now to a wounded friend?
Say. "I told you so"... that would be real nice Baird (jerk)
Quote scripture about Christ working everything out because he loves us
... true, but also hurtful in it's own way

If I had anything to offer it was that sometimes when we feel the most helpless, God is doing something to help us. I shared how Nancy and I felt after her 4th miscarriage. I have never felt any more helpless than then. At the time I thought we needed to give up, and surrender to what seemed like cruel punishment. And I even entertained thoughts that Nancy was being punished for my sins. You think crazy stuff when you are hurting. And yet now we have 4 happy, thriving daughters.

I guess God really does use the trials of life to bring healing and joy to our lives. And it doesn't matter if was brought on by just life happening or from your own mistakes or bad decisions.

So I listened to her struggle not to cry, I listened mostly because I didn't have much to say. And I tried to encourage her to do the right thing going forward. I begged her not to go alone, to get back to a church where she could hear God's word, take a break from the storm and be with people who can encourage her and challenge her and help her find healing from the train wreck.

Lord, do a good work in my friend's life.