Friendship in the Pit
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, visit www.marketplaceleaders.org