89/365: Being A Good Friend

When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. ~ Job 2:11

No one escapes hard times. We enjoy the great times and we suffer through the low times. If not for our friends, where would we be?

Men often neglect the necessity of deep friendships. Either we fear opening up and showing our weaknesses or there is shame in sharing our mistakes.

Christian brotherhood requires that we travel through life with friends and bear one another's burdens and celebrate one another's victories.

GO DEEPER: John 15: 9-17

NEXT STEP: Do you encounter barriers when looking to make these brotherhood connections?

Larry

on 03/30/2023 at 07:57 PM

yet subconsciously I keep my guard up. We lunch, walk, talk

Larry

on 03/30/2023 at 07:45 PM

A true Christian friend has been difficult for me because confidentiality has been broken so many times even through men’s groups. I have a good Christian brother that I get together with

Robert McFaddin

on 03/30/2023 at 07:09 PM

I’m still trying to find that friend. An ACTUAL friend. The “I can call you any time” friend. I have some guys in a group I meet with every two weeks, but maybe one I would feel comfortable being open with and could maybe make that call.

Kevin Miller

on 03/30/2023 at 07:07 PM

Friend have always been a weak point for me also. I have a Celebrate Recovery group I’m in. I’m close with those guys but I still need a couple of really good close friends.

Nick W

on 03/30/2023 at 04:24 PM

I've never been great at making friends. I've always been the type to have two or three friends who are as close as brothers. Some, I've known for more than 20 years, but recently one abruptly cut me out of his life after he walked away from the Lord, divorced, and had a child with his mistress before moving out of state with her. I heard about all of these other events through friends that he continued speaking with. Now, I have two good friends left, one that I've known forever, and another that I've known for a few years. Neither accepts Jesus. I have good acquaintances through my church, but it feels like every Christ following man in my stage of life (fathers with young children) are as busy as I an, and have no time for making or maintaining friendships.

Ethan Rogers

on 03/30/2023 at 04:20 PM

I have a friend of 15 years, now I do some work at his business for him. Our relationship has really changed for the worse because of money. We resent each other and we both feel the other is gouging and greedy. How evil can corrupt. I am on the path to be a better man through Jesus, he is not, but to only make as much as he can. I need God's help with this relationship. Again, I will turn to prayer. I have hope that this can be transformed. Good friends we must keep.

Tommy Williamson

on 03/30/2023 at 03:03 PM

In my adult life I’ve only had one really good close Christian friend. He was my pastor and in many ways I was his assistant pastor. Every Monday morning we would meet for racketball and breakfast. In a lot of ways he saw through the pain that I was suffering. He saw through how my mother and oldest brother tended to treat me even though most saw my attitude toward them as being rebellious. Unfortunately I had yet to accept that I had been so abused in every way by two of my other brothers. If I had I really think that my life would have been different than what it turned out to be. Alas he was only there for a three years before he moved to a new pastorate out of state and we lost contact with each other. Many of my other adult friends I have kept at arms length after getting stabbed in the back so many times by those that I thought were friends. So I tend to keep my distance rather than let people get to close anymore.

Chris C

on 03/30/2023 at 02:27 PM

Steven, Brandon; Thank you! God bless. 🙏

Boyce Moses

on 03/30/2023 at 02:26 PM

We have to have that friend we can be open and honest with, but we have to earn that trust. In order to do that we have to be that kind of friend to them. Show them you love and respect them and they can trust you. Love others as God loves you. Love you Jesus! 🧡💙💛💜

Brandon Pembleton

on 03/30/2023 at 02:01 PM

I never ever opened up to anyone not even my spouse at the time all the hurt that was in me. Well maybe rarely to my spouse but it came out more like angry shouting than walls down honesty. It wasn't until I took the advice of a future friend and checked out AA. I was blown away at the openess of everyone there. The openness without the anger and fear I'd always had when being open. I was hooked immediately and it was like God himself was and still is in those rooms. I've never been around a group of guys that are so kind and loving. Their kindness and gentleness when I shared about my defeats taught me God really does love me in all situations. For if these guys could and they're mortal men, the God of everything certainly would. They even spoke of God as being completely kind and waiting for us to run to him like a child running to his father after a long time away. I am so grateful to be a part of that and to be able to serve and help the newcomer or anyone else in life that forgot how to love themselves. God thank you!! Your new found purpose in my life gets me up and keeps me happy everyday even on tough days and tough times. I love you God amen 🙏

Tim

on 03/30/2023 at 12:06 PM

Thank you Steven for sharing.

Steven

on 03/20/2023 at 12:11 PM

For years I was looking for a good Chritian friend that I could trust and really open up to. It's hard to find and make adult friendships. I joined men's groups and attended the monthly men's breakfast but every was friendly and not friend-seeking. But I started participating in a youth ministry and one of the other leaders and I eventually hit it off and we ouwld get together for coffee semi-regularly. I thought about really confessing some of my struggles but I didn't want to ruin a great friendship. Then, when my life hit the fan, i called him and told him all the lies and sins I have hidden from the world. And he listened to my pour out my soul and all the shame of living a double life. Then, when I was done and I expected him to reject me and scold me, he said, "I love you." When I didn' love or like myself, he said he loved me. That is what a Christian is suppose to do but I never experienced that before. Sine then I have turned away from my sinful life and we are best firends today. Don't give up men, God has a plan for you and a friend to share life with.

89/365: Being A Good Friend

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