Hold On My Dear Friend

All of us who have friends go through some rough patches in our friendships. These hardships can either lead us to grow stronger together, or to push each other away. Most of us would push the other one away because it is just easier that way. But by doing that you cause more hurt for you. My church has this saying that a good friendship has to require effort over ease. When things get messy in a relationship, it is a whole lot easier, to cut of the friendship and avoid the mess, then try to make the effort to sit down with you friend and clean the mess up. A verse that I found to symbolizes you friendship is Proverbs 14:4 which says, "Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of the ox comes an abundant harvest." Your friendship is like a stable, and you keep all your friends inside the stable. Well if you like to just keep your stable clean, then you would keep your friends at a arms length away, so that it can't get messy. If any of your friends try to get close to you and mess up you nice stable then you cut that friend out of your circle. The thing is you need our friends to live in the stable, so that you are able to have an abundant harvest. With friends you can have someone to encourage you when you fall down, someone to give you a boost when you are tired, and someone that you just love to be around. With out them you can have a small harvest, but it isn't sufficient enough for you to live off of.

There is also another verse in the bible that talks about friendships. This one might be a little clearer than the first one in getting the message as soon as you read it. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says,

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return on their work

If one falls down, his friend can help him up,

But pity a man who falls and has no one to help him up.

Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm,

But how can one keep warm alone?

Though one may be overpowered,

two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands can not be quickly broken."

These four verses lay out how two are better then one when it comes to a friendship, and three is even better than two. One person by themselves can easily go down, two people can defend themselves, and it is very difficult to defeat a group of three friends. This world is going to throw some cruel stuff at you, some you might be able to handle by yourself, but most of it you are just going to get knocked down and you need two or three people to come beside you and help you out of the storm, and onto dry ground. Friends are very valuable, so keep them close, no matter how messy the relationship gets, for you don't know when they might just come in handy.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I know that my friendships are going to get messy in my life time. When it comes down to it, help me to choose effort over ease. Some friendships are too important to let go, for you have place them there in my life for a reason, and when we get through the mess in the relationship, they become even more valuable to me. Thanks Lord for placing certain people in my life that are there to help encourage me on my way.