A time for goodbyes

Honestly, who really likes goodbyes? I've yet to meet someone who doesn't get choked up while saying goodbye to someone dear to them. While thinking about this, I realized that God made us to be relational. But how many times do we take for granted the relationships He has placed in our life until we suddenly realize that they're gone? I've found that the old saying "You don't know what you've got until it's gone" is quite true in this area. As this is a season of goodbyes for many— as graduation pulls students away from friends at school, seminary interns leave for internship (my brother is moving to California!) and life takes a turn for the summer, we are reminded that people don't stay in our lives forever.

There was once a time when I wished people wouldn't leave; instead everything would stay exactly the same. However, I now realize that things cannot stay the same in this life for long. There are two results to this problem, to become cold to the possibility of new friends, in fear that they will leave you as well; or to be open to the reality that things change, and to make the most of the time you're given.


Psalm 133:1 says, "How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!" Are we really striving to live in unity? Are we appreciating the people God has placed in our lives at the moment for a special purpose? I find that more often than not we take for granted these people. What would our relationships look like if we took the time to tell or show others how much they mean to us?

Who do you appreciate today?
When's the last time you told them that?