It’s safe to say that not all of us have a true friend.  You might have many aquaintances and a few people that you spend time with but a true friend is hard to come by.  A true friend is there with you when everyone else has left you.  A true friend is loyal, dependable and committed to helping you to become all that God wants you to be.  A true friend refreshes you when you are down and reminds you of all the times you have bounced back in the past and assures you that you will do it again.  A true friend remains by your side when everything is going right and refuses to leave when everything is going wrong.  A true friend is not with you only for as long as you meet their needs, but is with you when he/she has to do all the giving because you are not able to. There is a beautiful illustration of a true friend in 2 Timothy 1:16.  Paul gives us insight as to his relationship with Onesiphorus, the one who ‘refreshed’ him.

Refreshing each other should be the goal of every true friendship.  People will come and go in your life.  Each has a specific part to play in making you who you are intended to be.  Some will be in your life for a season; others will be there during the good, the bad and the ugly.  Once the people in your life have proven what part they are to play, you will cherish the ones who define what is real and what is not.  Unfortunately, some people will want to be a part of your life only because of what you can do for them.  They are not real.  Fortunately, some people,maybe one or two, will  take your hand and go with you no matter where your journey takes you.  Thank God for those people and make it a point to be as good a friend to them as they are to you.  Iron sharpens iron so do whatever you can to refresh your friend(s).  A little act of kindness may be just the thing to heal their broken heart.

If you are wishing for a true friend today, there is a friend who will stick closer to you than a brother.  This friend will never leave you nor forsake you.  This friend will take you by your right hand and tell you not to fear because He will help you.  (Isaiah 41:13). What a friend we have in Jesus.  Jesus Christ is the best friend you will ever find.  Seek Him today and you will find him.  He will impact your life in such a way that you will eagerly want to introduce Him to others who are lonely, hurting, fearful and afraid.  You don’t have to be alone another day.  Jesus will love you like no one else.  Jesus is a true friend!