A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. -- Proverbs
17:17
"I am in there again," I told my friend. "The pit." A time when no one can cheer
you up and you wonder if there ever was or is a God. Have you ever had such
times? Discouragement can be devastating even to the best of saints. It can
bring us so low. The writer of Proverbs phrased it well when he said, "Hope
deferred makes the heart sick" (Prov. 13:12). When we get so low that we despair
of our belief, we can identify with the prophet Elijah who wanted to die after
being so discouraged with life.
"I'm coming over," my friend said.
"Aw, you don't have to do that," I said.
"I'm coming over. We're going to pray."
About 30 minutes later my friend walked in the door. We sat down on the living
room floor and simply lay on our backs as my friend began to pray. I didn't feel
like praying. I was too deep in the pit. All I could do was listen. After awhile
my friend was quiet. We both sat quietly for ten to fifteen minutes, praying
quietly to ourselves. Suddenly my friend said, "First Thessalonians 5:24!"
"What verse is that?" I asked.
"I don't know," she said. "That is the verse He spoke to me."
I grabbed my Bible and looked up the verse. "The one who calls you is faithful
and He will do it."
We laughed. Can He be so personal? Can He care that much? That night I grew more
in my love of my two friends, not to mention being brought out of the pit.
Do you have a friend who is there when you need somebody at any hour of the day?
Are you there for your friend? Ask the Lord how you can be a better friend to
someone today.
Excerpted with permission from the book TGIF Today God Is First, by Os Hillman,
copyright 2000, Destiny Image Publishers, Reprinted by permission. For free
daily email subscription to TGIF Today God Is First marketplace meditations,
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