Dear friend, I am going to let you down.

Dear friend,

I am going to let you down.

In one way or another, there is something that I am going to do that is not going to meet your hopes or expectations of the ideals you have in our relationship. I will forget a date that was important to you. I will accidentally overbook my schedule and need to stay home. I will cancel because I have children and a husband that will always need to take priority. I also need to be sure I take extra time to be alone with the Lord first rather than rely on you for advice first. I may not listen to your advice because I don’t think it’s what God is calling me to do. I might not even text you back right away. And these things might happen more than once, the longer we know each other. You might feel upset, vulnerable, scared, and/or insecure.

You are going to let me down.

In one way or another, there is something you will do that if not going to meet my hopes or expectations of the ideals I have in our relationship. You will forget a date that was important to me. You will accidentally overbook your schedule and need to stay home. You will cancel because you have children and a husband that will always need to take priority. You also need to be sure you take extra time to be alone with the Lord first rather than rely on me for advice first. You may not listen to my advice because you don’t think it’s what God is calling you to do. You might not even text me back right away. And these things might happen more than once, the longer we know each other. I might feel upset, vulnerable, scared, and/or insecure.

But it’s ok.

It’s ok because I want us to serve and love Christ above all else. I want us to follow Christ first and foremost and be sure we have our families first in line after that. I want us to love our husbands first, and love and raise our children next. I want us to serve in our churches and evangelize. All of that takes lots of time.

I am not on that list. And it’s ok.

Setting our minds on things above, thinking forward to heaven, will shape how we live today. Instead of choosing the mind-consuming path of insecure thoughts and wonderings, I want to give Spirit-powered grace, love, time, space, and encouragement because I know we will have an eternity to come to hang out, to catch up, to hug, laugh, and enjoy each other’s company.

In this season where our time is fleeting, let’s remember the Gospel saves. We aren’t perfect for one another: only Christ is. Let’s forgive each other and others not outwardly but inwardly. Let’s share the Gospel with others. Let’s pray for one another and remind each other we are. Let’s protect ourselves from putting anything or anyone else on the throne of our hearts where only Christ belongs.

And ultimately, let us pray that our disappointments, our imperfections, and our failures keep pointing our hearts to Christ…the one who loves more than anyone ever could. Let us savor most the Savior who filled us with the Holy Spirit at the moment of faith and promises us unshakable peace if we let Him rule in our hearts. And let us know that it is when we do this first, we have His energetic and available love and service to extend unconditionally to one another.

Scripture to look up:

John 15:13-15

Mark 3:32-35

John 15:13

John 17:20-26

1 Samual 18:1-4, 20:4-23, 42

1 Corinthians 13