friendship in the pit
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” – Proverbs 17:17
“There I am again,” I said to my friend. “The pit.” A time when no one can make you happy and you wonder if God ever existed or exists. Have you ever had a time like this? Disappointment can be devastating even for the best of saints. It can bring us so low. The writer of Proverbs expressed it well when he said, “Hope delayed makes the heart sick” (Proverbs 13:12). When we fall so low that we become disillusioned with our faith, we can identify with the prophet Elijah who wanted to die after becoming so disillusioned with life.
“I’m coming,” said my friend.
“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” I said.
“I’m coming. We’re going to pray.”
About 30 minutes later my friend came to the door. We sat in the living room and my friend started praying. I didn’t feel like praying. I was very deep in the hole. I could just listen. After some time my friend calmed down. We both sat quietly for ten to fifteen minutes, silently praying to ourselves. Suddenly my friend said, “First Thessalonians 5:24!”
“Which verse is that?” I asked
“I don’t know,” she said. “That’s the verse he told me.”
I picked up my Bible and looked at the verse. “He who calls you is faithful and will do it.”
we laughed. Can it get so personal? Could he care that much? Far from being thrown out of the pit that night, my love for my two friends grew even more.
Do you have a friend who is there for you at any time of the day when you need someone? Are you there for your friend? Ask the Lord how you can be a better friend to someone today.
