A, friend in need is a friend indeed, because a lot of us have what they call fair weather, friends. They are only around when the sun is shining when money is flowing and they can feed off of you, but as soon as you fall on hard times or as soon as you have storm clouds and have nothing to give them, they disappear. You call them and they are suddenly too busy. But the, Bible story of Job, shows us what, friends, are supposed to look like. Why, a friend in need is a friend indeed.
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Job’s Friends
The Bible tells the story of a man called, Job, who is described as a good man who loves God. Satan challenges God, saying that, Job, is only good because he has a happy life. God allows Satan to put, Job’s faith, to the test by causing him to suffer. Job lost all his wealth, his kids, and his health.
Job’s friends, came when they heard he was sick and lost everything.
They sat with him for 7 days and 7 nights saying nothing because his suffering was too great for words. Sometimes, friends, offer you comfort by just being there for you.
But when, Job, continually berated himself his, friends, finally responded.
The first, friend, to respond to Job was Eliphaz and tried to minister to his spirit.
Job’s Friend Eliphaz comforts him
He told, Job, that he had encouraged many people, that His words strengthened many people and prevented them from falling. He suggested that, Job, used those same words to strengthen himself.
As a Life coach I can relate.
Coaches and even pastors can help others, but find it difficult to help themselves mainly because when you are going through trouble you can’t look in.
Remember if you are the picture you can’t see the frame.
When Eliphaz words didn’t work in consoling Job, his, friend, tried something else to help him deal with his pain and suffering.
Job friends use God’s reverence to help him
He asked Him, doesn’t your reverence for God give you confidence that God will turn everything around for your good that he is able give your back everything that the locusts had stolen?
“I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten— the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm — my great army that I sent among you. Joel 2:25
That’s what real, friends, do they comfort you when you are in pain.
Job, was in pain. He cursed the day he was born saying that his mother’s womb should have been shut and he should have been born dead so he would be spared all this trouble.
Job friends tell him we all have trouble
Eliphaz Job’s, friend, continued to offer words of comfort to, Job, telling him that we are born for trouble as readily as sparks fly from a fire that though God wounds he also bandages. Though He strikes his hands also heal.
A friend in need is a friend indeed.
- Friends, help you grieve for a broken marriage,
- Friends, comfort you when your child is locked up,
- Friends, open their homes when you don’t have anywhere to live
- Friends, give you a shoulder to cry on when your world comes crashing down and you wish you were dead.
God asked, Job, to pray for his, friends, and when he did the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him back twice as much as he had before.
The final section of, Job, contains a storybook ending in which many of Job’s fortunes are restored. He receives twice the wealth he had before, plus a new brood of seven sons and three daughters .
Friendships in the movies
The movies and TV is great at showing us a model of what, friends, look like. I have always wished I had 4, girlfriends, like the sitcoms, Friends, and the sitcom, Girlfriends, or even the movie Waiting to Exhale.
So Cultivate, friendships, because we all need, friends, and, a friend in need is a friend indeed.
If you have current, friends, who has bee there for you in your time of need, remember to pray for them.
Conclusion
This is Life coach Myrna Young and you are listening to, 5 mins with coach Myrna. I invite you to join my Facebook group called Lifecoach.
Join us next week for another episode until next time
Namaste
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