Are you a 7 day friend?

In the book of Job, Job was a man who was "blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil" (Job 1:1).  Because of Job's walk with the Lord, Satan asked God's permission to strike everything Job had that God might see Job curse him without God's hedge of protection around him.  So, in one fell swoop, Satan took his oxen and donkeys (working through the Sabeans), his sheep (through a fire from the sky), his camels (working through the Chaldeans), and his 10 children (while at the oldest son's house)...all in one day!  [see vs. 2 to get an idea of how much of a loss that was]  Then, while Job was grieving his losses, Satan asked permission from God to affect his body. So, he afflicted him with sores from the bottom of his feet to the top of his head.


But, this post is not about how through all of that Job never blamed God (which by the way, 1:22 tells us is a sin...interesting), his "patience", or even the advice from his friends.  This blog is about friendship. "Huh?" You say? Yes, friendship.


Yes, we all know Job's friends may have given him poor advice and ill-advised instruction, but before all of that discussion took place, his closest friends decide amongst themselves to go and sympathize with him and comfort him (2:11).  And those friends sat with Job ON THE GROUND for seven days and seven nights...and no one said a word.

Powerful!  I know we are all busy with our family and our careers.  And, most of us communicate nowadays through Facebook, Twitter, or email, but when was the last time you took the time to forget your problems or your worries and just sit with a good friend who was hurting---or just sit with a good friend for no reason at all? 

There are so many saints who are suffering and won't reach out to anyone BECAUSE they know people's lives are busy or don't won't to burden anyone down with the problems they themselves cannot explain or figure out.  They are just wishing someone would move past the surface conversation and find out what is truly going on in their lives.  And, what's so sad, is that they never share this desire with their closest friends.  And although I applaud Job's friends for sitting with him, 2:11 tells us they "heard" about his troubles.  My guess is they didn't hear it from Job.

So, my prayer for you this week is that you ask God to bring to mind a close friend you can call up and just talk with.  Find out how they truly are.  And, if a friend calls you, don't be afraid or ashamed to share your heart with him or her if you are hurting.  Let's not allow this computer driven society to rob us of our human connection of a touch, a smile, a hug, or a phone call.  :)  Your thoughtfulness may just be their answer to prayer.

I'm praying for you salt!

For God "comforts us in all our troubles , so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God (2 Cor. 1: 4).