Day 8 of 90: Appreciate your Assets.

Day 8 of 90: Appreciate your Assets.

Opening Song:  Thank you by Hillsong

Closing Song: I want to say thank you by Page Brooks

Have you ever been hurt by someone you loved? Well that is kind of where I found myself last year this time. I had a close group of friends who were incredible to hang around until I started making them into my crutch. One day they were in my life, and the next day (seemingly) they weren't. Before I knew it, my heart became overwhelmed. I was hurt but didn’t know where the root of my pain was coming from. So there I was...sitting in my office...feeling all types of ways and I didn’t want discouragement to win so I opened up a few video files on my computer to reminisce about the "good ole days." Clip after clip, I began to feel better as I saw the hundreds of hands lifted in worship. I saw familiar faces and not-so-familiar faces, but the one consistent face that continued to show up in every video was... my wife’s. 

1. Don’t overlook the consistent people in your life because you’re so focused on the conditional people. Consistent people pour into you even during "off seasons". Conditional people will come and go. Often, we do not water the seeds from the fruitful batch of friends because the other group steals attention away from the committed ones. And we stay up all night, not counting our blessings but calculating what we lost; we stay up asking ourselves questions that really have no answer; thinking about how hurt we are that someone left instead of thanking God for the ones who have stayed.

2. remember the hundreds who were blessed instead of responding to a handful of haters. So many writers, preachers, and people I know will receive thousands of "thank you" letters for their work, but when that 1 negative letter comes to them, they will shut down and want to give up. Proverbs 18:24 whips us into shape because it teaches us the importance of honoring the friends who stick with us through the thick and the thin. One who has unreliable friends, it says, will soon come to ruin. Let’s think about that for a second. If people who have unreliable friends will eventually come to ruin, could it be possible, that God removed everything that was unreliable to protect you from the possibility of ruin? It’s a good thing that fickle folks are gone because now you can grow with those who really know your heart. Now you can trust that the few folks who have stayed are really in your life because they want to see you excel.

“But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” 

That’s who Ana is to me. Despite it all, she has been a consistent presence in the midst of others’ absence. And oftentimes, I have been so distracted by their absence that I forgot to tell her, “thank you for your presence.”

I wonder how many friends you’ve neglected to thank all because of unreliable folks. Today, make a concerted effort to call the “Ana’s” in your life who are reliable, dependable, and committed to your success and tell them thank you. If you water the seeds that are growing, your garden will never experience drought. But if you chase after un- reliable friends, you will quickly encounter ruin. Instead of giving your emotions the space to have a pity party, have a praise party. Praise God for every person who has deposited something valuable. Mail out personalized thank you letters to those whose love has never been questionable. The more you do that, the more likely your heart will heal and your love will grow.

Who are the confidantes in your life? Who are the people who are with you if you win, and with you if you lose? Who are the carriers of grace who forgive you when you’re wrong, and celebrate with you when you’re right. Appreciate your assets, for they will be there when your liabilities leave.

Scripture Referenced: One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. –Proverbs 18:24