Do you have any true friends? I do. Have they been friends for a long time? Most of mine have been friends for forty to fifty years, but I have some that have been true friends for less time. What makes them a true friend? Is it that they always agree with you? Is it because they feel free to challenge you? Let me share with you what I learned about how true friends bring hope.
I have found I have lots of friends (acquaintances) but my true friends are a smaller group. These are friends who will reprimand me when I am wrong while supporting me at the same time. These are the friends that lift me up when I am hurting and help me when I am in need. I believe all of them have been placed in my life by my Heavenly Father.
I also have found I do not have to talk to them all the time for them to be my friends. But I know that when I call, they will drop everything for me.
The Bible has a couple of great examples of this kind of friendship. King David and King Saul’s son Jonathan is the first to come to mind. In 1 Samuel 23:17-18, we find out about true friendship from Jonathan, “And he said to him, “Do not fear, for the hand of Saul my father shall not find you. You shall be king over Israel, and I shall be next to you. Saul my father also knows this.” And the two of them made a covenant before the Lord. David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.” (ESV) This is just part of what Johnathan did for David. I encourage you to explore their story in 1 & 2 Samuel. Johnathan continually stood up for and protected David from his own father King Saul. Johnathan was doing what Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” (ESV)
The greatest act of friendship in the Bible is seen in the person of Jesus Christ who laid down His life for me. Even when I didn’t know Him, He loved me and now I have become His friend. John 15:13-16 explains it very well, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide.” (ESV) This reminds me of a song I used to sing mostly when I was a child. “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” by Joseph M. Scriven. You see Jesus is my best friend. All my other friends are not perfect like Jesus. It is because of that reason Jesus is my best friend. But I love all my good friends in a special way. Not only would they drop everything for me I would also drop everything for them.
I pray you find yourself a true friend who will challenge you when need it and support you and care for you no matter what. I pray if you have not already repented of your sin that you will now. It is through a relationship with God through Jesus that solves the problem of sin and brings us hope in the present and the future. I would also encourage you to seek Jesus for He is the only opportunity there is to have eternal life. This is to me the greatest source of hope. In doing so, I believe we will have hope and joy during our everyday lives. Understanding that Jesus Christ allows us to access eternal life, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” John 17:3 (ESV) This will allow us to have hope. At the same time understanding you will live eternally knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ and this will bring you the greatest hope. Because of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross satisfied the penalty for sins. His payment satisfies all my sins from the past, the present and in the future. My penalty and yours was satisfied on the cross by the death of Jesus, God’s greatest act of love and wrath, who became sin for me and you. It was also God’s greatest act of faithfulness because “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (ESV) Because holiness shows us, we need to believe in Jesus. I hope that you join me in helping others to choose Jesus.
If you have not read my previous blogs, you can find them here.
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You can find my book, Hope Amid Hopelessness: Our Abba Father Provides a Way Through Mental Illness here.
eBook or Audiobook versions can be found at Westbow Press or Christianbook.com at Amazon or Google.
eBook or Audiobook versions can be found at Westbow Press or Christianbook.com at Amazon or Google.
