17th.: Forsake not thy Friends
How often do the frustrations of life accumulate?
Frustrations caused by coworkers, friends, family, spouses,
(or life’s general pitfalls, newspaper headlines, etc.)
How often do these frustration produce subtle, but negative feelings, bitterness, paranoia, etc.?
The Scripture advices us,
“Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.” (Pr. 4:23).
“Looking diligently, … lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you. And thereby many be defiled” (Heb. 12:15).
How many of us have then visited a friend, after having not seen them for many years.
How often have these friends seem to have changed - for the worse.
What will we do?
We know to not gossip about them.
Yet, neither do we want to be with them anymore.
Nor do we take those concerns for our friend to the Lord.
The passage, “Thine own friend, and thy father’s [and mother’s] friend forsake not.” (Pr. 27:10a) tells us to not forsake our friends.
Furthermore, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man [or woman] avails much.” (James 5:16).
Our friend may be blind to the bitterness, paranoia, whatever, in their heart.
Therefore they cannot ‘confess’ this fault.Y
Yet, is it not for us to ‘stand in the gap’ (see Eze. 22:30) for our friend by personally praying for them?
How long will we be willing to pray for our troubled friend(s)?
Will we pray with wisdom for them, until they be healed from their ‘defiled’ heart?
What rewards will God give us, if we actually include in our work for Him, praying for our friends (see Heb. 6:10 & 1st. Cor. 3:12-14)?