The Truest Of Friends

True friendship is a very rare gift. It comes from God, created and cultivated by God, and refined by the very hand of His Holy Spirit. You will know true friendship by its enduring fruits of the Spirit. It will endure for righteous purposes throughout every dark valley of difficulty, toil, and trouble.

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

Many great Saints of the Lord who were faithful, chosen, and called by God for a particular purpose had a close, trustworthy friend. Someone who God Himself had placed in their lives to help them, support them, lift them when they fell, or be an ear to listen. To be there for them when the strain and torment of their struggle were too great for them to endure on their own. God knew that they would need them.

God gave David Jonathan to be his friend, and he was closer than a brother. Elijah had Elisha, Jeremiah had Baruch, and Paul had Barnabas, that helped him through his missionary journeys. So God gives His servants those they can depend on and trust. Just like Timothy, who Paul called “a true son of the faith.”

As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as his own soul. 1 Samuel 18:1-3

Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry. 2 Timothy 4:11 To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 1 Timothy 1:2

God has given you a special gift if you have a true friend like this. It is a supernatural and spiritual occurrence that God has crafted for His purpose, plan, will, and even to save the life of the other. In a way, God’s assignment to His chosen men or women would be impossible without this faith partner and faithful friend; what a privilege to have a friend that sticks closer than a brother through every trial and tribulation.

Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

True friends sacrifice everything to help, encourage, love, and care in every situation, no matter how difficult. Even separated by a thousand miles, they remain steadfast, unmovable, and reliable friends remain true. They will put themselves in danger and at risk of hurt and harm to assist and aid their friend because that is the job the Lord has given them.

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24

Has God given you a close friend? Someone you can trust and lean on through thick and thin? Who prays for you daily, encourages you, and will not hesitate to lift you when you fall? Not perfect, but trustworthy. You know what I mean if God has blessed you with a true friend. Then you are blessed by God, for they are rare, extremely valuable, and irreplaceable.

I would never trade my best friend for anything in the world. Not for all the riches this world has to offer. Not for a billion followers or if I had everything I wanted.

Perhaps God has given you a great and true friend. If He has, be the best friend you can be! In all patience, kindness, compassion, love, meekness, truth, and long-suffering, fulfill your ministry of friendship to them. So that you may have the favor and pleasure of the Lord poured out upon you because God is favorable to those who love one another.

“After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed to the LORD, saying: ‘Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.

You show steadfast love to thousands, but you repay the guilt of fathers to their children after them, O great and mighty God, whose name is the LORD of hosts, great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of man, rewarding each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds.” Jeremiah 32:16-19