Rachel Whisman

While in college, my best friends lived right around the corner. I saw them practically every day, and we would go to Church together, attempt things at the gym, down pints of ice cream here and there, and laugh a lot. It was a unique blessing to be in such close proximity to one another. After graduating, the Lord blessed me with more friends, who turned into best friends. It looked different after college. Ages and life stages varied. Some of my best friends lived in the same city, while one of them lived states away. We were no longer in the same boat, but we were all charting in the same direction to pursue the Lord. 

This past week, I had the joy of catching up with some of these friends. Sitting across from them in person, watching them on FaceTime, or listening to them on the phone, I marveled at the kindness of the Lord. He is the one who started these friendships and has continued them. Being in their company and hearing their wisdom encouraged me. Listening to their struggles burdened me, in the right way, to bring it to the Lord. It pointed out to me how much we truly do need one another. Sometimes, I slip into thinking or believing the lie that I can do this by myself. I just need to talk to the Lord about this and that, or my friends have heard me talk about this for the umteenth time and have grown weary of me. What a fallacy that is masquerading as pride. 

Friendship is a gift. It is one because it is who God is, a complete union and satisfaction between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Before he created us, he was in perfect friendship, and is still and forevermore will be. Our friendships should reflect our ultimate friendship with the Lord. Just as Jesus needed the Father and the Spirit, we too need him and also others. God uses friends as a means of grace to point out our blind spots and sins, as said in Proverbs 27:6, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.” Friends encourage and refine us when we are weary or fainthearted, “As iron sharpens iron, so one sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17). And just as Jesus was with all and his disciples, he had his close friends within the disciples and lived out the wisdom of Proverbs 18:24, “A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” 

Jesus is our ultimate brother who will stick closer to us than a brother. He will also provide those friends throughout life as the seasons roll. Some will be immediate and within distance, or across states. If you are without a friend near, pray and keep praying. God provides whom we need at his perfect and all-wise timing, even if it is frustrating and doesn’t make sense in the meantime. He is our faithful friend and will never leave us nor forsake us. Cling to that as you wait for a friend and during seasons of sweet friendships. People will mess up, you will mess up in friendships, but our Jesus won’t. In our friendships on earth, he is preparing us for our eternal fellowship with him and one another. It is a gift, and may our hearts respond in gratitude and praise.

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

-Proverbs 17:!7