Friends Forever??

How many close friends do you have? If you have even one you should consider yourself blessed. In today's culture, it's cool to claim you have a BFF (best friend forever), but is that person really your best friend? Can you tell him everything? What about that thing from your past you are so ashamed of? What about your fears? What about your struggles with sin?
A true friend is someone you can trust with these things, someone who will still love you in spite of your past failures and current struggles. But a true friend also must be allowed to counsel you when he sees you about to make a bad decision or being disobedient to God's word. But they also will not leave you when things are not perfect, or when your at your worst.Proverbs 27:9 tells us “the heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.”We all need godly friends who will love us enough to give us heartfelt counsel when we need it.  BUT, Sadly, this is a rare occurrence to find this type of true friend in this day and time. Most often, they do not choose to help up with counsel, but instead, leave us alone in turmoil. So with that said,


“A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” — Proverbs 18:24
Friends come and go with the passing of time. Some friends are lifelong; others are friends only for a season. Some friends will always hold a special place in our hearts even though their love for us may have changed or diminished. Each of us has experienced friendships that fall into at least one, or perhaps all, of these categories.
As we consider our relationships with others, we would do well to ask, “What kind of friend am I?” Am I a fair weather friend who will be there for someone else only when it is convenient for me, or am I a true friend who is sincerely interested in the well being of another individual, regardless of the time and effort it costs me to nurture the friendship? If we are honest, most of us would admit to being disappointed by friends at one time or another. At times, we ourselves have been guilty of the same offense. I admit that I have myself lost my closest dearest friend for being a self centered, selfish friend. Not seeing his needs over my own, during a tumultuous time.  (Most terrible mistake I have ever made). I imagine I'll always harbor guilt and pain over losing his beautiful friendship.

Earthly friendships are complicated because human beings are complicated, imperfect creatures. Nonetheless, there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother, and his name is Jesus.
Jesus is faithful, kind, and loving. He sees us just as we are and loves us, warts and all.(if you had warts that is) When I can’t call on anyone else, I know that I can call on him. I know that he will never, ever stop being my friend and that he will always be with me. His Word assures me of that. Jesus has loved me with an everlasting love that is not dependent on my employment, my financial status, my outer beauty, my sense of humor, or my availability to provide a service or favor. If my circumstances change, Jesus remains faithful, true, and constant. Never too busy for one of his own, he talks to me and is always glad to hear my voice.
What a friend we have in Jesus! Oh, that we would be more like him in our own friendships!