Former Blackout Artist

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” ~ Proverbs 17:17

Friends will come and go, but somewhere in our inner circle is that one person who we trust more than all the rest… our go-to, that person who God has put in our lives to share our experiences with on this sometimes crazy journey of happy destiny we’re trudging.

God didn’t create us to be lonely. No, He created us to fellowship and serve with other people. You see, God understands that we need friends. But he also knows that we need that one specific friend who can challenge us to grow in our spiritual faith and strive to be better.

Identifying ‘that’ friend takes time. Men, in particular, are often hesitant to open up and expose their vulnerabilities, as most of us wage a constant battle with false pride and ego. We don’t like telling others about our problems and shortcomings, because somewhere deep inside we feel that to do so would expose weakness. As painful as the situation may seem to us – to reveal the underlying root of our troubles with another man is often a bridge too far. So instead of sharing our burdens with others, we do what most men normally do in these situations: Nothing.

On the outside we may appear strong and self-reliant. But on the inside we become lonely and desperate, and over time the walls we build to protect this false image become the prisons that eventually lead us to spiritual death.

God doesn’t want us to live this way, that isn’t His design. No, He wants us to have a companion who can listen, encourage, and help. Not only that, but He wants us to be ‘that’ friend to someone else, too.

If you don’t have ‘that’ friend in your life today, I would encourage you to talk with God in prayer and ask Him to identify that person to you. We don’t have to trudge this journey of happy destiny alone. He will send each of us a listener, a helper, an encourager. All we have to do is humbly ask Him to help us find ‘that’ friend.

Today’s prayer: God, thank you for my life today. Thank you for surrounding me with people who care about me and teach me to grow in Your ways. I ask for your help today in identifying that one person you have sent to help me become the person that you want me to be. Amen.