Find a Real Friend in Jesus - Gary Zimak

Find a Real Friend in Jesus (eBook)

Ten Amazingly Easy Steps

Gary Zimak (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2023 | 1. Auflage
160 Seiten
Servant (Verlag)
978-1-63582-373-8 (ISBN)

'For years the Lord was right beside me, asking me to be his friend. Unfortunately, I was too busy to respond. The only time I ever spoke with him was when I needed something. In an emergency, I always seemed to remember Jesus. I knew where to find him when I was in trouble, but I would forget about him as soon as he answered my prayer.' Sound familiar? Maybe you turn to Jesus whenever you're in need, but find yourself ignoring Him when your life is smooth sailing. Maybe you already feel close to the Lord, but recognize that-like a marriage or any other significant relationship-complacency can lead to a rut. Maybe you've never even spoken with Him and aren't quite sure where to begin. Wherever you are on your spiritual journey, it's absolutely possible to forge a deeper and richer relationship with Jesus. And in Gary Zimak's newest book, you'll discover ten amazingly easy steps that will help draw you closer to the Lord. You'll explore lives in the Bible that were changed forever because of encounters with Jesus. Then you'll learn concrete steps that you can take to grow your friendship with Him. After all, Jesus wants to be your BFF-your Best Friend Forever-even more than you do! So, while these steps require some effort on your part, you can rest assured that Jesus is ready and willing to hold up His end of the deal. You face an important decision that only you can make. Are you ready to invite Jesus more deeply into your life? If your answer is 'Yes,' Find a Real Friend in Jesus will direct you on the greatest adventure of your life.

"e;For years the Lord was right beside me, asking me to be his friend. Unfortunately, I was too busy to respond. The only time I ever spoke with him was when I needed something. In an emergency, I always seemed to remember Jesus. I knew where to find him when I was in trouble, but I would forget about him as soon as he answered my prayer."e; Sound familiar? Maybe you turn to Jesus whenever you're in need, but find yourself ignoring Him when your life is smooth sailing. Maybe you already feel close to the Lord, but recognize that-like a marriage or any other significant relationship-complacency can lead to a rut. Maybe you've never even spoken with Him and aren't quite sure where to begin. Wherever you are on your spiritual journey, it's absolutely possible to forge a deeper and richer relationship with Jesus. And in Gary Zimak's newest book, you'll discover ten amazingly easy steps that will help draw you closer to the Lord. You'll explore lives in the Bible that were changed forever because of encounters with Jesus. Then you'll learn concrete steps that you can take to grow your friendship with Him. After all, Jesus wants to be your BFF-your Best Friend Forever-even more than you do! So, while these steps require some effort on your part, you can rest assured that Jesus is ready and willing to hold up His end of the deal. You face an important decision that only you can make. Are you ready to invite Jesus more deeply into your life? If your answer is "e;Yes,"e; Find a Real Friend in Jesus will direct you on the greatest adventure of your life.

chapter one

Good Relationships Don’t Just Happen

I love those who love me,

and those who seek me diligently find me.

—PROVERBS 8:17

Since this book is all about having a personal relationship with Jesus, it’s important for us to understand some basic concepts about relationships. Although there are differences in how we relate to the Lord as opposed to another human, many of the same principles apply. Knowing what it takes to establish and maintain a good relationship with another person will help us enter into a deeper relationship with Christ.

While most people understand the concept of a personal relationship, it’s sometimes not the easiest thing to describe. Basically, it can be defined as two people connecting with one another in some way. In order for a personal relationship to exist, there must be some contact between the individuals.

When I was young, I knew many facts about baseball players and rock stars. I could tell you how old they were, where they were born, and maybe even their favorite foods. Knowing about these individuals, however, didn’t mean that I knew them personally. It was not possible for me to have a personal relationship with any of them. On the other hand, I had several friends whom I did know personally and with whom it was possible to enter into a relationship.

The first rule of relationships is that the two people must know each other. Secondly, there must be some degree of communication between the individuals. Is that all it takes? Well, yes and no. Not all relationships are created equal. There is a big difference between a relationship and a close (or intimate) personal relationship.

Let’s look at some of the things that will help a relationship flourish. We’ll also briefly explore how each of these principles will help in our quest to grow closer to the Lord.

Self-Sacrifice

In order for a relationship to be successful, I must learn to put the needs of the other person before my own. If both individuals put this into practice, everyone gets taken care of, and the relationship will be a good one. Self-sacrifice is a necessary component of any loving relationship.

If I am to enter into a close relationship with the Lord, I should also be willing to put him first. Accepting suffering willingly, helping the poor, and praying even when I don’t feel like it are some ways to put this into practice. Incidentally, there is no need to worry about the Lord’s holding up his end of the bargain. He loves us unconditionally and always puts us first.

Commitment

Good relationships don’t just happen; they require work. And both parties must be willing to work. My wife and I have the grace that flows from the sacrament of marriage, but we still have to work at our relationship. We work at it every day, whether we feel like it or not. We are committed to our union and are willing to do whatever is necessary to allow it to grow.

Growing closer to the Lord also requires work; it doesn’t just happen. We can rest assured that God will do his part. It’s up to us to commit to the relationship for the long haul. If we hang in there and are willing to do whatever it takes, our relationship with God will grow.

Honesty

Honesty is an important part of any close relationship. Not only must deception be avoided at all cost, but both parties must be willing to share their true feelings. This act of mutual openness draws individuals together and allows them to act as one.

When dealing with the Lord, honesty still applies. Even though he knows when we’re being dishonest and there really is no way we can deceive him, we must be willing to express our true feelings to him. As scary as it sounds, this even means expressing our lack of trust in him and asking for help. That total openness will help us grow closer to him.

Time Together

While time together seems obvious as a prerequisite for a good relationship, its importance sometimes gets overlooked. The more time individuals in a relationship spend together, the closer they will become. This principle not only applies to the initial stages of a relationship but is also true for the duration. In order to grow closer to another person, you must spend time together.

How much time? While I can’t give you an exact number of minutes or hours, I can tell you that one hour a week is not enough. That won’t work with a spouse or a good friend, and it won’t work with God. Many people think that going to Mass each week is all they need to remain close to the Lord. But in order to have a close, personal relationship with Jesus, we must spend time with him every day. And that time is never wasted!

Admitting Mistakes

Let’s face it, we all make mistakes. Learning to admit when you have made a mistake is crucial to the success of a relationship. What is even more important is the ability to apologize when you’re wrong. The words “I’m sorry” are powerful; they need to be a regular part of our vocabulary.

In our relationship with the Lord, we’re going to be the one making the mistakes. When we goof up (and it will happen), we need to admit that we are wrong, express our sorrow (the sacrament of reconciliation is perfect for that), and ask for the grace to do better next time. God doesn’t expect us to be perfect. He does expect us, however, to admit when we’re wrong and ask for his help along the way.

Keeping Feelings in Perspective

We are constantly bombarded with the message that love is a feeling. While it is true that we often feel affection toward those whom we love, we shouldn’t let ourselves be ruled by our feelings. Love is a conscious decision. We can choose to love someone, even if we do not feel like it. Most parents don’t relish waking up in the middle of the night to comfort a crying baby. Rather, they do it out of love.

No matter how much you love the Lord, there will be days when you don’t feel like praying. If you want to have a close, personal relationship with him, you must commit to praying every day, whether you feel like it or not.

Appreciation

It’s nice to be appreciated, isn’t it? While it shouldn’t be the goal of doing good deeds for others, it certainly feels great to hear the words Thank you. Yet we often forget to express our appreciation for acts of kindness directed our way. We take people for granted. One of the best ways for a relationship to grow is to learn how to say thank you.

In Luke’s Gospel, the evangelist tells of the encounter between Jesus and ten lepers (see Luke 17:11–19). After the miraculous healing, only one of them, a Samaritan, returned to thank the Lord. “Then said Jesus, ‘Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’” (Luke 17:17–18). If we expect to grow in our relationship with Christ, we need to imitate that Samaritan and offer thanks.

Expressions of Love

I have been married for twenty years, and my wife and I have said “I love you” to one another at least once each day for all of those years. Even though I know that Eileen loves me, I never get tired of hearing those words. While it’s certainly important to show loved ones that we care about them, it’s also important to tell them.

In our relationship with the Lord, we sometimes think that it’s not necessary to express our love for him. After all, he knows everything, so why bother? Even though he is all-knowing, he enjoys hearing the words “I love you.” Getting into the habit of saying those words will draw you closer to him.

Admiration

My wife is a fantastic person. She has many great qualities— kindness, beauty, charm, sense of humor, a strong faith…. When I spend time thinking about her many wonderful traits, it makes me appreciate her more. It reminds me of why I fell in love with her in the first place.

It’s a good idea to reflect regularly on the wonderful qualities of Our Lord—his great power, unconditional love, approachability, and so on. Let’s not take the Lord of the universe, our Redeemer and Savior, for granted!

A Sense of Humor

I’m not joking about this: Sometimes we take ourselves too seriously. We forget to laugh at some of the silly things that we do and say. Having a sense of humor is not only important in relationships, but it’s very helpful in dealing with our daily challenges. I’m certainly not recommending that we laugh at inappropriate times, but sometimes a little laughter can be just what the doctor ordered.

Have you ever heard the expression, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans”? That is a good one to remember when unexpected difficulties arise in our lives. Like the woman in Proverbs 31,...

Erscheint lt. Verlag	1.2.2023
Sprache	englisch
Themenwelt	Geisteswissenschaften ► Religion / Theologie ► Christentum
ISBN-10	1-63582-373-0 / 1635823730
ISBN-13	978-1-63582-373-8 / 9781635823738

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