Friendship With God

Suffering, a deep and vast subject. Articles, books and commentaries have been written, so my brief posts will not cover what others have already said so well.

I had the great privilege of growing up on a family farm in the Midwest. Our big white farm house was located on a gravel road with only two other houses on it. One was my grandparents home and the other was a family friend who my dad rented land from. I did not move from the farm until I went away to college, met and married the man of my dreams, and moved 500 miles away to begin our life together in the pastorate. It was here and in our three other pastorates that God would teach me to turn to Him as I looked many other places to fill the loneliness of being away from all that was familiar and dear to my heart.

Dictionary.com defines loneliness as being destitute of sympathetic or friendly companionship.

As this has been true as we have moved from each church I've experienced the loneliness and isolation of being the new kid in town, but God has always provided godly women to be the friends He knows I need. But He has also taught me that only He can fill my deepest needs for friendship, and directed me just this morning to

"...as I was in my prime, when the friendship of God was upon my tent,..."
Job 29:4
and
"The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant."
Psalm 25:14

As the notes from the ESV say, "I am welcome into his intimate company."

In hind sight, suffering in loneliness? Not the word I would use. God has used loneliness to draw me to Himself and show me that my closed friend is God Himself.
But thanking Him for the friends and sisters in Christ He has given to make my journey sweeter.