This morning I felt like I was playing the game where you toss a quarter in the air and declare, “Heads you win, tails you lose.” You see, I’ve been encouraged to reach out and make some new friends, but I struggle with the uncertain outcome of opening up to other people. It seems like a coin toss to me; it may work—but it could hurt.
But then, I read Psalm 90:14: “Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love.” At first, my interpretation was that I needed to ask God to satisfy me with His love so I did not need friends. (I admit it was tempting to stay there.) But as I thought more, He guided me to realize that just as the “head” and “tail” are part of the same coin, so being satisfied with God’s love every morning is what will allow me to find true friendship.
The harder I try to find and get love from another person, the more elusive it becomes. Only when God satisfies me with His steadfast love in the morning will I be open and able to give and receive love from someone else. Therefore, in a way, it is “heads, you win.” When Christ is my head and I seek Him and receive love from Him, it is always a win.
Being satisfied with God’s love every morning will result in rejoicing and gladness, which will in turn open my life to friendships where I can give and receive love. In the event a relationship does end up feeling like “tails you lose,” I won’t really have lost. Friendship with a God who never fails is something I can rest in—and will help me take those risks.
So today, instead of believing that praying to be satisfied with God’s love is exclusive to creating new friendships, I realize it is the only path to finding them.
By Jane Horvath