A friend of God

This past week I discovered that I had been "un-friended". A Facebook friend had gone to my profile and clicked to remove me from his list of friends. We had interacted a lot in a Facebook group, and I met him in person at a conference in May and ate at the same table as he did a few times. It made me feel badly. It was made worse by the fact that I had sent him the friend request. I never do that. I still have feelings of inferiority and struggle to believe people actually like me, so I try to avoid rejection as much as I can, and one way is to not send friend requests on Facebook. But I decided to brave it and send a couple. And now he has removed me. I think it was because we disagreed on Muslims. He is very pro-Muslim, and they scare the daylights out of me and I wish we'd close our borders to them.

A few months ago, I had a lady from my own church not just "un-friend" me, but she blocked me, my mom, and my sister. The reason: I post too much about a certain subject, one that is important to me and that I personally struggle with. She also said I am too "snarky", whatever that means - I am sarcastic, but I can't help it.....it runs in my family....... I felt bad about that too, and it was worse that she didn't even tell me that she was blocking me. I found out second hand, which means she was talking about me to at least one person, and I would assume more.

  I have been thinking about this "un-friending" business, and had some thoughts about it - and yes, I do take it too personally, but it is just one of many areas I need to work on:

1) If we remove everyone from our life who disagrees with us on social media or off, pretty soon our world will consist of just me. There are people on Facebook who seem to only comment on posts of mine that they disagree with. That is the only time I hear from them..... and I don't delete them.

2) If someone "un-friends" me, it is their loss. Seriously. I texted my best friend about this latest "un-friending" since he knows this guy too, and that was his reply. "It is his loss." I replied "not much of a loss", but I think my friend is right. I am not perfect. I post things not everyone likes or is interested in, but doesn't everyone? I would love to block sports related stuff from my Facebook feed - especially football - but I don't remove everyone who talks about something I hate with all of my being. I wouldn't have many people left, for one thing, and how shallow I would be to remove people for that reason.

  But I have people who have messaged me and thanked me for posting something that encouraged them. Some say so in public. And I am a unique person that some people do like. Maybe more people put up with me than like me, but that is OK. If they delete me as a friend, they are losing connection with my uniqueness and the possibility that I might post something to help or encourage them. Stranger things have happened

3) Losing a Facebook friend you mainly know through Facebook isn't a huge loss. It is rejection, which can hurt...especially if that is a weak area.... but a few weeks from now it won't make a difference and I'll most likely forget the guy exists after a while.

4) I need to focus on the friends off line and on line who are true friends. And I have made some true friends through Facebook or other social media. I met my best friend through social media through a great woman of God we both know. And there are others who are a constant source of encouragement and friendship.

5) I need to focus on being the kind of friend who isn't so easily offended to delete people who disagree with me or even criticize me. As Christians we shouldn't be so easily offended. Yes, people can say hurtful things, but to delete people for disagreeing with us is pretty lame.

6) God is still my friend and will never "un-friend" me.

  Which brings me to part 2 of my blog: I am a friend of God

1) God will never un-friend me.

2) If God had a Facebook account, He would send me a friend request and not wait for me to send Him one.

3) If I disagree with Him, He will still be my friend

4) If I say rude or hurtful things to Him, He will still be my friend,

5) If everyone in the world walked away from me and hated me, He would still love me and be my friend.

6) He sent His Son to die for me, and has been far more patient and long-suffering with me than I have ever deserved.

7) If I walk away from Him, He lets me go, but never stops calling me back.

8) Some day He will come back for me and take me to a place that is so wonderful that eyes have not seen or ears heard the wonders of that place, and I will live there forever. There will be no "un-friending", no rejection, no pain, no being left out, no inferiority complex, no blocking, no hurt feelings, no one being offended. It will be Heaven, and everything will be perfect.

9) No one's actions, opinions of me, or rejection of me has anything to do with what I am worth or how God views or loves me.

  So let whoever will block me, un-friend me, ignore me, say rude things to me or about me.... I am a friend of God. And He is the only friend who truly matters.


Who am I that You are mindful of me?
That You hear me when I call
Is it true that You are thinking of me?
How You love me
It's amazing

Who am I that You are mindful of me?
That You hear me when I call
Is it true that You are thinking of me?
How You love me
It's amazing

Chorus:
I am a friend of God
I am a friend of God
I am a friend of God
He calls me friend

Who am I that You are mindful of me?
That You hear me when I call
Is it true that You are thinking of me?
How You love me
It's amazing, so amazing, It's amazing 

Chorus:
I am a friend of God
I am a friend of God
I am a friend of God
He calls me friend