Today’s Guest Post is by Renee Johnson, author of Faithbook of Jesus and one of my favorite young authors. This girl has it going on–friending people all across the blogosphere, starting a 20s/30s ministry called Throw Mountains and writing a RELEVANT (can I get an Amen??) Devotional aimed at twentysomethings. And she is twentysomething. Inspiring. Renee pops over today to fill us in on friendships, brokenness, and why she’s a “Debbie Downer”.

From Renee: I had no idea how much response I would get from this post on broken relationships. It’s weird how the Lord’s blessings can equal trials, and how He uses people to shape us and make us more like Him. Character.

Tough as it is, I am slowly learning what it means to choose my friends wisely and to trust Him in all I do. My heart and everything in my life has been shattered too many times to count, and instead of crouching back into comfort and loneliness–the bad kind, I’m letting God lead me step by step. I hope you enjoy and are encouraged from my mistakes.

I’m a Debbie Downer

Apparently, I didn’t get that memo. Choose my friends s-l-o-w-l-y? No way! My heart is five-times the normal size. I’ve experienced just as much brokenness as I have Jesus’ glory and healing power. Plus, I have too much to give!!!

Here I am in the midst of writing my second book on brokenness and it’s lonely. All those thoughts of hurt floating around in my head. As I write it out it hurts less and less, but when I try and share those experiences with friends I keep getting hurt. Why do I stink at choosing my friends? I have many friends, and yet when I look around…

Honestly? The selfish part in me just wanted to write a three sentence blog with the verse from Luke 5:16 that says, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” Then I’d follow it up with I’m lonely. I’m in a desert place? Who else has been there? The end.

That’s me. Right now. I’m lonely. In the past six months I have been called a spiritual failure, not a Christian, and yada yada yada — all from people I thought were my best friends. We even said I love you.

Hypocrisy happens when I care more about what people think of me than what God thinks of me.

I really just want to hurt them back. But I can’t. Trust me I’ve tried, but God gives me a swift kick in the butt. Like tonight, I was recounting one of the experiences I mentioned above with an old friend and I felt convicted. Like, “why did I have to go there again?” kind of a thing. Really Renee? Really? It’s over; let it go.

One of my values to live by this year is Trust. Each year I pick a few values to live by, ones I feel God is calling me to grow and learn, and it’s interesting how it’s evolved into obedience. Trust = Obedience.

Suddenly I, the Debbie Downer, just became the unwilling (and hurt) servant who is having a difficulty following in His master’s shoes. No matter HOW lonely, and HOW many people desert and/or disown me will I be found obedient?

Jesus said in John 17:9-13:

“I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours…Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name…While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled (Judas). I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them…”

Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me—now let me rejoice” (Psalm 51:8 NLT).

Like it? Pick up Renee’s Book for more honesty and inspiration. Renee is a like a friend on the page, walking with you in a relationship with God. I highly recommend it!