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 Psalmist said it well when he said "Hope deferred makes the heart sick." 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," said my friend. "Aw, you don't have to do that," I said. "I'm coming over. We're going to pray." About thirty minutes later my friend walked in the door. We sat down in the living room on the 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. All of a sudden my friend says, "1 Thessalonians 5:24!" "What verse is that?" I said. "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? This night I would grow more in my love of my two friends, not to mention getting 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.