A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17
We choose friends for a variety of reasons: geography (they just live close!), similar age, children of similar age, or serving on the same committee, or attending the same church, just to name a few.
There are many ways to measure a friendship: the number of years you’ve known each other, common interests, similar experiences, secrets you’ve shared, or storms you’ve weathered together.
No matter how you met your friends or how you measure the quality of friendships, I believe that God has a plan for each of those relationships.
One of those purposes is for us (and them!) to grow closer to the Lord.
Through the years, one of the ways I have grown spiritually is through the friendships that I’ve enjoyed. No two of these friendships is alike…each one is as unique and beautiful as the women themselves. And each of them has enriched my life in wonderful ways.
This week, as we finish our Five Thursdays Fast, we will focus on praying for our friends. Many of us imperfect wives have never met face-to-face, yet we count each other among our friends. Because of our common interest, marriages that honor God and are filled with His love, and our willingness to be transparent with each other, God has knit our hearts together.
We have friends outside of this Imperfect Wives circle, too. Women who are dear to our hearts and precious to God.
Do you consider yourself a good friend?
One of the ways to improve the quality of your friendships is to pray for your friends!
As you begin to prepare for this Thursday’s fast, ask the Lord which of your friends He would have you pray for specifically. I’m sure you’ll pray for all of your friends, but my guess is that He’ll highlight one or two for you to pray for in a special way.
This time of prayer and fasting is a special gift you give to those friends, a gift that is more precious than anything you could wrap up and give them.
As you sacrifice your physical comfort and time for your friends, pray as the Lord directs. If He gives you a special word of encouragement or a specific scripture for one of them, write it down and share it with her.
God wants to use you mightily in the lives of your friends. He may even use you to bring one of them into relationship with Him. (I’ve had that distinct pleasure a couple of times…some of the highlights in my life!)
One thing I am confident will be a by-product of this final fast for this month is that you will be changed, too. I believe that God will reveal to you how to be a better friend to those women who are treasured by Him!
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7
With love and prayers for you, my friends,
Rebecca
Image via Pinterest and Pixdaus
Love this post Rebecca! So true that we need to be a good friend and pray for our friends. It means so much to me when my friends tell me they have prayed for me, more than they will ever know!
Last week during our fast I guess I read wrong and I prayed for my friends instead of family… but friends are family too!! 🙂 Will continue to pray for them this week as well!!
Love ya woman!!
Nicole,
Prayer for our friends is one of the greatest gifts we can give them…and we can afford to give it every day! Love you!
Yes we can!! 🙂