Jesus, help me understand that people may move forward into a friendship that involves me getting to know them better and then fall back to a place where they don’t want to be there anymore. I may have a friend that has progressed from a business relationship to a casual friendship and then start refusing to be my casual friend. A Personal friendship may progress to the point where the person has shared a lot of things with me. But, there may come a point where they stop sharing personal information and issues and just want to talk about casual subjects or want to discontinue all friendship with me.

Jesus, help me decide what to do about each situation I face, when a relationship regresses. Let me know whether to just drop the relationship all together, or, just go back to doing business with them and reestablish a casual relationship or business relationship with them. Show me whether or not I should keep pursuing the relationship. However, make it clear to me that I must treat these people with love, respect, and kindness if our paths cross. Keep me from allowing disappointment, frustration, or resentment to enter my heart.

Jesus, if I have a mentor friend that is doing studies with me and all of a sudden they don’t want to do it anymore; help me try to stay in touch with them. Help me be willing to go all the way back to a business relationship with them, if I need to. Depending on what the person is willing to allow, help me try to maintain contact with them by using the methods discussed in that type of relationship.

Jesus, empower me to not ASSUME anything as to why I think a person is resisting a certain level of friendship. Help me see that QUESTIONS are still the best way of helping and bringing healing to a relationship. Guide me in allowing THEM to tell me what kind of issues and problems they are going through. Help me let them TELL ME what is causing them to back off. If they don’t want to talk about it, then let me find out from You what I should do next.

Jesus, show me that there can be things that are too embarrassing for them to be willing to discuss with me. If it is a lack of spiritual desire, reveal it to me; if it is circumstances that they don’t think I would understand, help me break that barrier down; if it is influences from other people who are resisting their relationship with me, let me help them be free from that bad relationship. Show me that it can be any of a number of things that they may or may not be willing to talk about. Then help me know what to do about it.

Jesus, teach me that not all relationships will be for the purpose of building them into productive relationships of spiritual growth. Show me that many of my business relationships will only be about me buying and selling things that make this life possible. Help me understand that they may never be about building those relationships and taking them to the next level.

Jesus, help me treat everyone with love, respect, and kindness. Keep me from trying to manipulate people. During family times with relatives and times of playing sports, help me realize that there will be people around me that I will just be friendly to. Empower me to be friendly to them because of the wonderful things You have done in my life. Show me how important it is that I just let relationships develop as You and these people allow me to. Help me not try to force anything on these people. Guide me every moment of everyday to trust You with all these decisions.

Jesus, make it clear to me that I have a responsibility to be loving, caring, and cordial with ALL those around me. Show me that sometimes the way I treat the people around me helps them see what Christianity is all about. Help me not treat people a certain way just because they are my friends. Empower me to be loving and caring even with my enemies.

Jesus, teach me that some of the people I cross paths with will eventually become involved in spiritual growth with someone else. As Your love pours out of me on everyone I come in contact with, special spiritual seeds are planted in their hearts. Help me understand that You may not use me to do any more in their life than just be friendly to them as I pass by. Teach me that by me allowing You to shine through me into everyone’s life, many are prepared for being open to other Christians at a later date.

Jesus, free me from all personal agendas; help me not be going around looking for people to mentor. Help me allow You to flow through me so as to do WHATEVER You want done. As all kinds of people enter and leave my life, make it clear that only You know and are able to pick which ones should spend more time with me. Help me just want to do Your will and You will empower me to be at the right place, at the right time, doing and saying the right things with the right people.