You've God a Friend in Me

Will I worship and stay faithful when I am tired from climbing this road that is unforgiving and all uphill?  This  question has been lingering in my mind, whispering to me over and over.  Will I love my Lord through anything?  Do I love Him only because I know He will protect me, bless me, and watch over me, will I love Him the same when I feel desolate, alone, and attacked?  Of course, then is when I need my Father most, but it is then when it is hardest to seek Him out.   

It is in this place where I need the "watchmen", others that God has appointed to walk alongside me, to pray on my behalf, friends.  These prayers and encouragements lift us up and support us when we can't stand.  This then leads me to wonder if I do the same for others who are weak.  What type of friend am I?  Am I the encourager that Jesus wants me to be, or am I a friend of Job's? 

Job’s friends started off in good meaning.  They traveled from far away just to be with him, and they were even silent, just sitting in support and grief for 7 days!  Talk about not talking, I don’t think I could have not said something to him for 7 days! 

Chapter 1:11-13  “¹¹ 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. ¹² When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. ¹³ Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.”

I wonder, if in that time, they were just thinking of all the things they should say to him, I wonder if they even consulted God in that time, or took the time to hear what God was really saying.  They start off in Chapter 4 already saying Job must be guilty of something, for the truly innocent don’t befall trouble, and then began their seemingly endless barrage of advice.

Job 4:7

⁷"Remember now, ^(G)who ever perished being innocent?
         Or where were the upright destroyed?

Job 8:4-6

 ³"Does ^(B)God pervert justice?
         Or does the Almighty pervert what is right?
    ⁴"^(C)If your sons sinned against Him,
         Then He delivered them into the power of their transgression.
    ⁵"If you would ^(D)seek God
         And implore the compassion of the Almighty,
    ⁶If you are pure and upright,
         Surely now ^(E)He would rouse Himself for you
         And restore your righteous ^(F)estate.

Job 11:13-16 

¹³"^(O)If you would ^(P)direct your heart right
         And ^(Q)spread out your hand to Him,
    ¹⁴If iniquity is in your hand, ^(R)put it far away,
         And do not let wickedness dwell in your tents;
    ¹⁵"Then, indeed, you could ^(S)lift up your face without moral defect,
         And you would be steadfast and ^(T)not fear.
    ¹⁶"For you would ^(U)forget your trouble,
         As ^(V)waters that have passed by, you would remember it.

  When friends come to us, we are all too often, ready to give advice.  Sadly, I don’t often enough; take the time to even really hear what they are saying before I start sharing my two cents.  Is what I’m saying even relevant or what they need to hear?  Have I even stopped to ask God what He wants to say to them or am I just eager to talk about myself and all of my experiences? Instead of jumping into ideas, theories, or solutions we should be running to prayerful requests for wisdom on their behalf.  Then we should listen, take the time to hear from God, and then speak if we are asked to. 

This is far different from the daily conversations I have with my girlfriends.  And I’m not saying this should be a replacement for all social time, but when we have real problems that need solving, real hurts that need healing, and are in need for relevant answers for our lives, this is the model we should be using, instead of our laundry list of human guidance.  Do you ever find yourself a “self help” column to your friends without consulting God first? Or is it just me?

God has been telling me to be quiet and speak when He asks.  I don’t want to rail at the mouth so much that when God really has a great word, I’m ignored.  I want to spend more time in prayer, then in active chatter.  I want my words to be His, this will bring the truth and encouragement that our lives need, and our souls seek.  I don't want to speak from a wounded heart, but from one filled with life from Jesus, and words straight from the Holy Spirit.