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"Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend."
-Proverbs 27:17
There is nothing more comforting in times of trouble than to be assured that there will always be a friend by your side on whom you can count on. You know you gather more hope and courage whenever you hear someone cheering you up with encouraging words. In fact, sometimes the mere presence of a friend is all you really need.
We need not debate over the fact that Jesus is the best example of a friend. He is everybody's best friend. Everyone who accepts Him as their personal Savior can be confident that He will never leave him nor forsake him. In spite of the fact that we cannot literally see him, we know he's there because we feel him. What's even more amazing is that He does not only listen. He even answers prayers!
I remember these past few days when I felt so depressed, I thought I was hopeless, he surprisingly talked to me in all the preaching and messages we had. It's not that I do not have faith, but isn't it weird that all bible messages you have read points out to you? Isn't it weird that just when everyone is expecting for a 'hard preaching', the preacher suddenly gives a different topic: encouragement. Weird because we do not exactly have totally depressing problems in the church.
Last Sunday, I was not the assigned teacher, but the teacher got sick and I had to turn over. To my surprise, the topic was again about encouragement and exactly what I was feeling! Amazing, right? You know God is so powerful. He knows what's best for you. He already has a plan.
Not only that He's an ever faithful friend to us, He even sends for more 'angels' to comfort us and edify us. Friends, as we call them. They are the ones who help us grow and become more like Jesus. The problem, however, is that not all 'friends' possess those characteristics. Good friends help us become a better person. Bad friends oft times make us become worse.
This issue has been occupying my thoughts recently. So much as I treasure my friends as precious jewels, I realize that at times I do not feel good being around some of them. I enjoy myself and even have a good laugh when talking with them, but it always seems like there's something missing. Eventually, God has slowly given answers to these questions.
No matter how the company may be good, it's still not the kind of friendship God planned for me. God compared friends to irons who sharpen each other, but if the friendship does not help you grow closer to God, or makes you stay away from His will, then probably it's not the kind of friendship God would be blessed with.
As I reread a very old post by Johanna & Bethany, Reflections of Grace, (if you're wondering, I'm really fond of reading other people's blogs. I hope they won't mind me mentioning them. :)) ) I vividly realized what kind of friends God wants us to have and most especially to be. I realized that if there's something I should be really close with, it should be my fellow Christian friends. Someone whom I can confidently talk about Jesus, someone who will carefully listen and give wise advice. Not someone who gossips, curses, etc.
Most of all, someone who shares the same convictions with me as I Christian woman. (And this not only applies to them, it also applies to us, for before we gain good godly friends, we need first be good friends to others.)
True, you have to choose your friends wisely and though I never wanted to break the bond that my friends and I formed, I know I should do something to fulfill it. Should I leave them or keep them? for they have been a great part of my life.
I hope to find the courage and make wise decisions regarding this issue.
