My Not-So-Best Friends

Worry and Fear.

You'd think we were best friends, worry, fear, and me. We spend quite a lot of time together. Of course, I don't know many best friends who steal your joy and leave you with anxiety and heartache. It just doesn't seem very friendly, but for some reason we hang out anyway.

I don't usually plan to spend my day with them. They just have a tendency to show up. Worry usually   knocks on the front door right about the time I've started thinking about things. She shows up with a big grin on her face. She sits on the couch with me and listens to my problems and my struggles. She's a very good listener. She asks all the right questions to get me thinking about all the things that could happen. The problem, of course, is she never has anything positive to say.  She's critical of those around me and just assumes everything is going to turn out for the worse. Sometimes she's right, but most of the time her doomsday predictions are just a waste of time and energy. If things do start to look bad, she usually just sits back and starts telling me how it was all my fault to begin with.

Fear comes over quite often too. She's pretty much just been showing up since I was 5 or 6 years old. I met her one night under my bed (I was looking for monsters), and she's never really left. I keep moving the hide-a-key, but she gets in anyway. Fear knows me better than anyone. And let me tell you, that girl never shuts up! If I stop to listen to her for a moment, she will go on and on for hours, days even. Of course, she's really just saying the same things over and over again, but the more I listen the more confused I get. Pretty soon I find myself believing ridiculous things, and agreeing that it would probably be best if we just stayed home and hung out with Worry.

I realize these don't sound like the greatest of friends, but let's be honest, it's really hard to ditch bad friends.

They aren't the only friends I have come over though. Thankfulness and Faith come over too. Unlike Worry and Fear though, they won't just show up unannounced. You have to invite them over and welcome them in. Worry always vanishes when Thankfulness comes around. Worry likes to think about the "what if's", but Thankfulness won't have any of it. She likes to talk about the here and now. When I start wondering how I'm going to afford this or take care of that, Thankfulness just laughs and tells me not to fret. She reminds me that God has provided for me yesterday and today, so why would I doubt Him for tomorrow? Thankfulness loves to here me talk about my family, my Bible reading, my laundry, and my supper plans. She encourages me to keep working while I talk and just enjoy her company. She ones of those people that just makes you smile and keep smiling!

Faith is unlike any person I've ever known. She doesn't look like much on the outside, but once you get to know her you realize just how strong and beautiful she really is. She is a quiet person, but when she speaks, even Fear has to listen. Just spending time with Faith fills me with peace and assurance. She doesn't have to have all the answers to my questions and she doesn't always tell me things right away. Getting to know her takes time, but I always feel so refreshed after our visits. She isn't pushy or demanding. She never lies or stretches the Truth. Of course, sometimes she tells me things I don't want to hear. Sometimes she asks me to do things I don't want to do. But Faith is a true friend. Even in the midst of hard times and difficult decisions she never abandons me. As long as I welcome her in my home she will stay beside me, a friend through thick and thin.

So I'm sure you're wondering if I have such amazing friends like Thankfulness and Faith, why I would ever choose to hang out with Worry or Fear?

I guess some days I just forget that those I keep company with determine who I become and that the way I spend my time speaks volumes about my character. Silly me.