“Every good and perfect gift is from above…” James 1:17a
Years ago at the summer camp I attended as a girl, we spent many nights in the cabin falling asleep to James Taylor’s Greatest Hits. The one I remember playing over and over is “You’ve got a friend.” You know it….
Winter, spring, summer or fall,
all you’ve got to do is call…
And I’ll be there, yes I will,
you’ve got a friend.
I sang those words back then but I hadn’t lived long enough to really know what they meant. I hadn’t lived enough life to go through true “winters” where life gets really messy and hard and you really DO need a friend by your side.
A lot of time has passed since those summer nights at Camp Mystic and I’ve lived enough life now to know what a real friend looks like. And I hope I’ve learned what it means to be a friend.
God is the giver of every good gift. One of the sweetest blessings in life is the gift of friendship. Friends cheer you on, encourage you, walk beside you and cry with you and if they are truly the very best variety, they are not afraid to question you, rebuke you and confront you when necessary. It is actually quite easy to have a friend. It’s another thing all together to have a real relationship grounded in Christ where you share the deepest things of the heart and know that you are better because of the friendship.
Godly friends listen. They hear your heart without judgment and wait for the right time to ask questions and offer advice.
Godly friends know each others’ weaknesses and love each other anyway.
Godly friends pray for each other. A friend in Christ is one who wants to know how she can approach the Father on your behalf.
Godly friends point each other to Scripture. They know that God’s Word has the power to transform and they want that for each other.
Godly friends weep together. Friends in Christ are the ones you can share the most vulnerable part of your heart with and cry when you need to.
Godly friends want the Lord’s very best for each other. They set aside their own agendas and desire God’s will above all– whatever it looks like.
Godly friends don’t let differences get in the way of the relationship. When things get messy, they move forward with respect and learn to laugh about it later.
The Lord has shown His goodness in my life again and again with the friends He has given me. I pray that you, too, have the blessing of these kinds of relationships in your life. If you are feeling dry in this area, pray that the Lord will provide friends who are grounded in Christ. He will honor that prayer!
~Courtney
