Proverbs 17:17

“17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”

A special blessing that God has bestowed upon us is the gift of friendship here on earth. This verse clearly states that friendship is based on love. From the bottom of my heart, I am beyond thankful for my dearest friends; those that share every aspect of my life – my inner circle. This type of “life-sharing” does not happen over night.

True, biblical, friendship requires love, trust, devotion, and time. It is more important to cultivate these types of deep relationships versus seeking only “surface friends” – those that you allow just below your emotional mantle – safe space – while preventing them from entering past your iron wall where you guard your deepest emotional substrate. Proverbs continues to reinforce this in 18:24, “A man with many friends may be harmed, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.” 

True friends are not only loving, they are also deeply loyal. My family is currently experiencing this type of deep loyalty while my son is recuperating from surgery. We are blessed with Christian parents, siblings, and extended family that sacrifice daily for our family. However, God showered great blessings upon our family through the gifts of our dearest friends. Friends that die to self and demonstrate such sacrifice at the right time – blessed!

My prayer is that you seek friendships that are God-honoring, loving, and loyal. Proverbs 27:17 states, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” My life is forever enriched, challenged, strengthened, and protected by my accountability partner and friend. Accountability partners are a special group of deep-rooted friends. These appointees are God’s gift to human relationships. These special friends are carefully woven into all parts of your life where God is allowed to breathe His perfect richness into your life in the way of refinement, edification, reward, correction, and discernment. I do not take this relationship for granted, and I thank God daily for the gift of friendship and my accountability partner.  

Question: Do you have deep-rooted friends or only surface-friendships? Are your friends God-honoring? Proverbs 12:26 states, “The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.” Pray earnestly for deep-rooted, biblical, friendships that reflect God’s glory!

Thankful,

Christian Armetta