" FRIEND(S) / FRIENDSHIP "

Good Morning, Is all well in your world today? Hopefully you're not doing life alone. This week we are looking into what and how God thinks of Friend(s)/Friendship.

A description of true friendship to me was David and Jonathan. You see they were more than just companions who enjoyed each other's company, they were True Pals. Now, they encouraged each other's faith in God and trusted each other with their deepest thoughts and closet confidences. These are the marks of True Friendship to me.

Relationships built on Love and Fidelity are a Rare Treasure. True Friends are especially Faithful in times of ADVERSITY as well as PROSPERITY. Our friends and associates can have a profound influence on us, often in very subtle ways. If we insist on friendship with those who mock what God considers important, we might sin by becoming indifferent to God's will.

This attitude is the same as mocking. Do your friends build up your friendship, or do they tear it down? True friends should help, not hinder, you to draw closer to God. Does your spouse call you friend? In a healthy marriage, lovers are also good friends. Too often people are driven into marriage by exciting feelings of love and passion before they take the time to develop a deep friendship. This involves listening, sharing, and showing understanding for other's likes and dislikes. Friendship takes time, but it makes a love relationship much deeper and far more satisfying.

LAST POINT: Loneliness is everywhere - many people feel cut off and alienated from others. Being in a crowd just makes people more aware of their isolation. We all need friends who will stick close, listen, care, and offer help when it is needed - in good times and bad. It is better to have one such friend than dozens of superficial acquaintances. Instead of wishing you you could find a true friend, seek to become one. There are people who need your friendship. Ask God to reveal them to you, and then take on the challenge of being a true friend.

Until Next Time...
Jim