Friends Rock

I'm realizing more and more that isolation is a tool of the enemy to get us right where he wants us. In my darkest times, I've been convinced that I don't need anyone, and I act on that belief - shutting myself into a hole, not returning anyone's calls, not emailing anyone, etc. For one thing, I didn't want to burden anyone with my junk, but I didn't think I needed them to help me get through it in the first place. Lately, though, it's becoming so crystal clear to me that God defiitely created us not only for a relationship with Him, but for relationships with each other.
Here's the thing. I've had this....shall we say....struggle on my mind for awhile, and since it's not really for everyone to know I'll spare the details here. I hate this thorn in my flesh, and because it makes me feel so awful, I don't like to tell people about it. I hate the way that they might think of me if they knew, and I hate tearing down all pride and just putting something so ugly out there. That's pretty much the nature of sin, I think, and any weapons of the enemy. But when I get brave - when I get really brave - I can actually tell someone about it. I had lunch with a really good friend of mine yesterday, and it was so, so good. I had no intention of talking to her about this particular problem over lunch, because I didn't think it was really appropriate and I didn't want to bring it up (out of sight, out of mind, you know). As we were finishing, though, she said, as she always does, "How can I pray for you?" Then, in that moment, I literally slumped down in the booth at Village Deli and covered my face, because 1)I can NEVER lie to Vickie, and 2)there was this voice in my head screaming, "TELL HER!" So I did. Actually, she guessed the nature of it and I didn't have to say the word, but then I actually started elaborating on it because all of a sudden I felt that rush of relief that comes with getting a weight lifted off my shoulders. It was incredible, and she told me someone else I should talk to about this problem because she deals with it, too.... I've felt so encouraged and so uplifted since then, and though I know I'm a LONG way from being healed of this aggravating nuisance of a problem, I feel hopeful that as long as I remember it's not necessarily something to be ashamed of, I can beat it. So that's my point: that God wants us to talk to other Christians about what we're going through so that they can encourage us and hold us accountable and get us through it, but Satan wants us to hold it in, because as James says, sins and things like that grow really well when they're kept in the dark and can't survive when they come into the light. And this is my other point: friends rock.