Over the years I have had many friends. Some were very good friends and some were toxic. Sometimes you don’t know how a person will be until it’s too late. Recently, my children and I had to let go of a very good friendship. The mom and I were very close and our children adored each other. But, things changed and we are having to move on.
It’s not easy explaining to children why a friendship is toxic. It’s not easy watching them hurt over things that have happened. But, I have allowed time to grieve and to vent. My boys are amazing and have come out on the other side feeling okay. They are still hurt but they understand and know what true friendship really is.
I won’t get into the detail of why we had to end the friendship but I will say it was not something we took lightly and did on a whim. It was a very serious matter and a very stressful situation. I won’t speak poorly about others so that’s all I will say. We are moving on and trusting the Lord to help us heal and forgive.
My boys and I have had some wonderful conversations lately because of the situation. They have been so open with me and asked me many difficult questions. I have been stumped a few times on how to answer them but I always point them to God’s Word. Nothing I say will matter if it doesn’t align with the Bible.
We have actually done a small study on what the Bible says about friendships and what they really look like. We’ve looked up verses about how to deal with difficult situations. We have discussed how friends will come and go. Some will stay for a lifetime and some are only in our lives for a short time.
We have also talked about how God puts a person in our lives sometimes for a specific reason. That reason could be to evangelize to them. It could be to help them through a difficult time. It could be for you to learn a lesson in some way. No matter what the reason, we should be pointing them back to God every chance we get.
Saying goodbye to a friend can hurt deeply. I have had to grieve and heal as well. But, it can be a time to turn to God and ask Him to comfort you and heal you. The Bible tells us there is a season for everything (Ecclesiastes 3). Sometimes friendships are just for a season. God knows why and the situation and He will always comfort us in our time of need.
Giving my children the right tools to deal with disappointment and hurt in life is one of my main goals as a parent. The way I do that is by turning to God and His Word. The Bible has the answer to anything life throws at us. We just need to open it and read His Word and bind it to our hearts. That’s what I want for my boys in every situation.
