Timing is important when making friends. We must be ready to make friends and open up to others. Years ago my husband and I went along to a church near where we lived. The people were so friendly, they overwhelmed us. We never went back.
At that time we were still on our journey back to the Lord and we were not ready to be swamped with friendliness or commit to others. Back then such friendliness was all too much. It frightened us off.
When we planned to move house, any number of people told us stories of people who’d moved and found they missed their friends. As a result they failed to make new friends in the new place, and were so miserable they ended up moving back where they came from.
Some pople have suggested, people find it harder to make friends when they are older, because they are less likely to trust others or don’t have the same circle of connections. When we are young and have children we have a natural interaction and connection with other parents of children of similar ages, through school and sporting groups etc. For the older person that connection is missing. So as we prepared to move, we were aware it could be harder to make friends, but trusted that God would provide.
We also had visited the church which we knew we would attend. We’d experienced firsthand how friendly the people were. Just as that church years ago had been. The difference is this time we ready and looking to make friends. And we have -friends with whom one day we will share eternity. Or as one of my dear friends puts in ‘the family we will spend glory with.’
As you look at your life, do you want to reach out and make friends? If it’s not happening, what is stopping it? Before we jump in and conclude the other person or people must be at fault, let’s look at ourselves. It could be we are not ready to take that step and open ourselves up to others and commit to a friendship. Perhaps we are sending off signals like radar that warns other people from getting too close. It’s something to consider.
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