When we honestly ask the question, which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advise, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares. (Henri Nouw)
Certainly each of us desires such a friend; one that we can consider a brother in Christ; one that hangs tuff when the battles of life intensify to the point that no one knows which end is up. King David had such a friend; one that stood by him in the good times and bad. Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword, and his bow, and his belt (1 Samuel 18:3-4).
In today’s fast track society with the hustle and bustle of our world, many of us don’t stop long enough to just talk face-to-face. We send emails and voice over internet transmissions to convey our thoughts and needs. We tend to try to work out our problems without others, asking no one for help until it is too late or too distressing for us to handle. Our relationships (if there are any), tend to be superficial or non-committal based on a fear that someone will get too close and see our true nature. Without a long-term relationship, problems rarely get fixed, they just get bandaged.
This is not the way God planned it...The body is a unit, thought it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12). If one body part hurts, each part should be there to help support that member.
The question then is…who is your friend? Do you have anyone close to you that you could consider a brother or sister? If not, why not! God put us here on this earth to comfort one another. Stop thinking of yourself and start thinking about someone else. Your problems will decrease as you get involved with someone else whose problems are larger.
God's Word tells us that a friend sticks closer than a brother, and that in order for one to be a friend, one must show themselves friendly (Proverbs 18:24). The question is: what type of friend do you desire to be? What type of friend are you to someone else?
The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.
Certainly each of us desires such a friend; one that we can consider a brother in Christ; one that hangs tuff when the battles of life intensify to the point that no one knows which end is up. King David had such a friend; one that stood by him in the good times and bad. Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword, and his bow, and his belt (1 Samuel 18:3-4).
In today’s fast track society with the hustle and bustle of our world, many of us don’t stop long enough to just talk face-to-face. We send emails and voice over internet transmissions to convey our thoughts and needs. We tend to try to work out our problems without others, asking no one for help until it is too late or too distressing for us to handle. Our relationships (if there are any), tend to be superficial or non-committal based on a fear that someone will get too close and see our true nature. Without a long-term relationship, problems rarely get fixed, they just get bandaged.
This is not the way God planned it...The body is a unit, thought it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12). If one body part hurts, each part should be there to help support that member.
The question then is…who is your friend? Do you have anyone close to you that you could consider a brother or sister? If not, why not! God put us here on this earth to comfort one another. Stop thinking of yourself and start thinking about someone else. Your problems will decrease as you get involved with someone else whose problems are larger.
God's Word tells us that a friend sticks closer than a brother, and that in order for one to be a friend, one must show themselves friendly (Proverbs 18:24). The question is: what type of friend do you desire to be? What type of friend are you to someone else?
The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.
