Baby Anthony was fussy and restless. Nothing we did at that moment seemed to soothe him until we laid him on my daughter's lap next to his twin sister. Instantly, he calmed and visibly relaxed. It was amazing to watch. They weren't facing each other and didn't even seem to see each other, but the change was dramatic and instant. My daughter looked at me and smiled - "It's a twins thing, I guess" she said.
Though not in the physical sense, I have a spiritual "twin" like that. If you have a true friend, a soul mate, you know exactly what I mean. No matter what upsets we are facing, what tragedies loom, even what irritations surface to throw us off, true friends calm and comfort us just with their presence. Words are unnecessary, especially in the darkest of times, because they just "know", and that knowing brings a sense of peace which needs no explanation. They know that we know, but they give us our needed space during the immediate crash. Soul mates don't spout judgments or trivialize our pain with platitudes. They don't abandon us because of their own lack of words, either. Instead, they lift us up, encourage us, & strengthen us just by being there.
The other priceless gift they offer is that they let us spew our fear-filled, negative, sometimes irrational thoughts without interjecting, correcting, or one-upping us with their own stories. They listen with their hearts! When appropriate, they may give us new perspectives, remind us of familiar truths, or help us see the bigger picture when we're focused on our molehill but they wait until the initial emotional crisis has calmed. Their patient silence is truly golden!
Because we can rest in the security of that kind of love, we know that even if the problems don't go away, someone is there that truly "has our back" through it all. Someone knows, someone cares, and someone shows it with their faithfulness and love.
I am blessed to have soul-mates who have proven themselves through time and circumstance. But I also have a relationship with the ultimate soul-mate - my God. He knows me intimately, not only my thoughts but every circumstance of my past, present and future. He wrote them all down before I was born and orders them for my good! As wonderful as my earthly soul mates are, there are few times when they can actually change my circumstances...but God can do just that! He has the power, the authority, and the desire to orchestrate my life to be what He wants me to be! He also cares - He gave the ultimate gift of His Son's life in order to save me, so what would He hold back? And He is faithful in love. He will never leave me, even when I push Him away, because His love is stronger that my pain.
I hope you have soul-mates: both physical ones that you have found true, and the ultimate One who has loved you before you were ever aware of Him - your Creator! If you know Him, be sure you keep that relationship strong. If you don't know Him yet, He's right there waiting for you to reach out and find Him. You won't regret it!
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