Good Friends Are Like Medicine For The Soul
17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.
Proverbs 27:10
10 Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family, and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you—better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.
Last Friday, I met two of my girlfriends at one of my favorite restaurants to celebrate our birthdays. These are ladies who have been my friends now for over thirty years. I feel sure that we have been getting together for at least half of the thirty years to do these Birthday celebrations.
I can’t tell you how refreshing it was to just sit there and laugh and catch up for three hours. Yes, I said three hours. The time literally just flew by. I work so much that to have this time with two of my favorite people on the planet was like sneaking away for a mini vacation. I left the restaurant thinking, boy, I could really use more of that in my life.
About six years ago, I was struck with an illness that literally hijacked my social life. My immune system was compromised, so I had to be very careful about going into public places. Although I still try to be very careful, I have now realized that the social aspect of our lives is so important for some resemblance of balance in our lives.
Friendships are key to a happy, well-rounded life. I truly believe that God wants us to have friendships and interaction with others, because trying to do life in your own little world apart from the others can lead to a miserable existence.
My friends have been such a blessing in my life that I don’t know what I would have done without their support. I am grateful for every single friend that God has brought into my life, and I truly cherish those friendships.
Sure, life gets busy, but on your deathbed, do you think you will be concerned about the deal that you didn’t close or your to-do list? I don’t think so. I think our thoughts will be about our family and friends. Our family members and friends are the true treasures that God has placed in our lives.
I love friends because, unlike relatives, we get to hand-pick them. Remember, you don’t need lots of friends; you just need three or four great friends. It’s not the quantity of friends that you have but the quality of those friendships.
A great question to ask yourself is, can I count on them if I really need them to come to my rescue? Another great question would be to ask yourself, could they count on the same from me?
You see, we not only need great friends, but we also need to be a great friend.
There is, however, one friend for sure that I know that we all can always count on, and that friend is God. He has given us the ultimate example of how to love others.
If you feel that you really don’t share a deep, lasting friendship with anyone, pray and ask God to bless you with some great Christian friends, and I can assure you that He will at just the right time.
May God bless you as you develop lasting and meaningful friendships, and may you always remember that a great friend is a gift from God.
26 The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:
10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
