Purpose Day 12: Developing Your Friendship with God

You are as close to God as you choose to be.

Yeowch - truer words have never been written. Our relationship with God is all based on our choices, limitations and blockades. He's there, ready & willing & so desiring it. The one-sidedness is probably felt by him too. Aching for us to open ourselves to him, be willing to get to know him & love him.

I must choose to be honest with God.
Bitterness is the greatest barrier to friendship with God.

Not everyone is a "bitter person" but I think we all harbour some bitterness from time to time, and when we direct that bitterness at God, and hold it against him, how can we develop our friendship beyond that grudge?

Expressing doubt is sometimes the first step toward the next level of intimacy with God.

God wants to know when we're doubting, angry, faithless etc? He knows already so he would much rather we express it to him than carry on a conversation pretending that we aren't having those feelings. Many in the Bible expressed these sorts of feelings to him and were still considered "friends of God" (David, Job, Paul)

I must choose to obey God in faith.
I must choose to value what God values.
I must desire friendship with God more than anything else.

Ok, I'm working on these things :)