Lord,
sometimes I feel hurt deeply
by the actions of friends
and I find myself in a dilemma,
wondering whether I should persevere
with a friendship
or simply let it go.

Today
I sense a conviction
that in most of the cases
friends simply acted
thoughtlessly.
It never was their intention
to do harm.
My friends are simply
deeply flawed individuals …
… just like me.

I realise
that while my instinctive response
might be to walk away
from a friendship,
a more appropriate response would be
to say a quick prayer
for the friend concerned
and to pray as well
for those whom I have hurt
because of my own flaws.

Help me, Lord, to forgive
the flaws in my friends
and in myself.

© Claire Murray, 25th May 2014