Foul Weather Friends

Right now, I have a couple friends who are really going through some serious difficulties. Life can be so cruel at times. These friends are such wonderful people. They're kind. They're generous. They're selfless. They're loyal. 

They're feeling beaten down.

I don't like that bad things happen to good people. I don't like that good things happen to bad people. But that is life, and God told us there would be days like these. I shudder to think that it wouldn't be much of a stretch for my life to cave in within the next 12 hours. Who can say?

All I know for sure is that if we're not going through the paper shredder of life right now, it's inevitable that we will at some point. At any given time, we're only one degree of separation from someone who is going through it. When that is the case, it's rally time. It's up to us to offer ourselves to mourn with those who mourn. We need to give our support to those in need. We need to be encouraging. It's not enough to just say the right things and move on.

Ecclesiastes 4:10 states very clearly how miserable it would be to be alone in times of trials. Verse 10 tells us that there are times we need someone there to pick us up off the canvas. There are times when we are so beaten down, it would require the strength of a friend to get us back on our feet. 

Tomorrow, I am going to go more in depth about how God performs miracles and chooses to use us to distribute them. But for this moment, I want to leave you with the thought that God doesn't need us in order for someone to know His love. But it is not good for us to be alone in life. And it is especially bad when we're going through difficulties without the support and strength of a good friend. It's easy to be a fair weather friend. A true friend is willing to get soaked while helping you through the storms.