You’ve Got a Friend in Me — Morning Devotions

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It’s the connection that you notice in this song, we feel how closely friendship sits at the heart of humanity. It’s something you can’t put into words often, but we will find life very difficult without the support of at least one good friend. No doubt you’ve heard the phrase “no man is an island“, and that’s true. Someone has said that we can tell a true friend when we’re in trouble. He doesn’t leave us. Someone else has said a true friend is the kind of person that if you call them at 2am to tell them that you needed them urgently, they wouldn’t say no.

I think the Covid 19 pandemic has affected many people who are not able to see their friends. We’ve felt a sense of isolation and fear catching that virus, and we’ve stayed indoors. And so the social contacts were restricted. But friendships were made in other ways, maybe by the phone or social media. We do need friends in our life to come together to share our sorrows and happiness.

And surveys have shown that people who have invested in deep friendships over a long period of time are more likely to be the happiest people on earth. Friendship, then, is the essence of happiness. But sometimes that relationship ends up giving you a lot of trouble as well. Backstabbing, jealousy, betrayal, a lot of other things that can ruin a friendship and unfortunately, hasty and heated words said during an argument, can have the potential to destroy a close friendship.

Friendship: one of life’s greatest blessings, but not exactly always perfect…

In our modern world of social networking, it’s difficult to understand the meaning of friendship. I mean, we live in a world where anyone can become your friend. You just sign up and request to be your friend. And in a world where we can either friend or unfriend anyone with a click of the mouse or the tap of a finger, traditional definitions of friends and friendships has changed. We’re thankful for this digital connection, but we know somehow it’s not enough. God has made us to mix with others. Communication is face to face.

It was the Christian author J.C. Ryle, who said, “The world is full of sorrow because it’s full of sin. It’s a dark place, a difficult place. A true friend for friendship halves our troubles and doubles our joys,” and I think that’s a pretty good description of true friendship in the Bible. Solomon, who is described as the wisest man ever, said in Proverbs 18:24 – “Someone with many so called friends may end up friendless, but a true friend is closer than a brother”. Because we’re often afraid of rejection, many of us are unwilling to reach out to others. We sort of want a safer approach. We wait for others to befriend us, but if you want friends, you’ve got to get beyond that.

Today you might be thinking, well, what makes a true friendship? Another writer has said. People with deep and lasting friendships maybe introverts, extroverts. Old, young, dull, intelligent, good looking. The one characteristic they all have in common is openness. Yes, being an open, honest person will give you a better chance to have good friends. And as you learn more about them and become comfortable in your relationships, you will naturally share more about yourself.

You may need to go slowly at first. Friendship is a process. Don’t share the most intimate details of your life until your friends have proven that they do love you and value what you share. Be respectful, be a speaker of truth. And as long as you’re speaking the truth in love, the awkward moments or tense moments can prove to be a building block in your relationship.

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And if you ignore every wrongdoing and bottle up all the hurt inside, you will grow increasingly angry and probably lash out under pressure.

And finally, be a positive person. No one wants to be around a person who’s negative all the time. The person who sees the glass is half empty instead of half full. So look for the best in people and all situations. Express optimistic thoughts. And when you hear someone else’s grumbling and complaining, try to turn those thoughts into positive ones.

Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father, today I do appreciate the friends that I’ve got. Lord, it’s amazing how you bless me through the company of other good people, and that’s a good thing. And I thank you in Jesus’ name, Amen.