“Ointment and perfume delight the heart, and the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel.” Proverbs 27:9
Walking the path of full surrender to God is not an easy life, but in my experience, it’s much better than the alternative. I’ve been on the path of just halfway surrender and can tell you I never want to go back there! It’s like living in a marriage without love or—being alive without really living. I’ve also been on the path of NO surrender and it’s even more miserable. A born-again believer will never find satisfaction while living in the works of the flesh.
When we are born into life with Christ, our soul desperately needs to experience and produce the fruit of His Holy Spirit.
And while we receive the fruit of God’s Spirit from HIM; it is within our friendships that we receive the multifaceted blessings of giving and receiving the BEST experiences. I like to think about it this way—when I am being filled by GOD with HIS “love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control,” (Galatians 5:22-23) and if I want to maximize my enjoyment, I must share all of this with others, right? What is love without someone to share it with? What good is joy if you are all alone? Isn’t peace doubly good when shared with another? How can we ever get to fully experience what God does for us if we have no one to give kindness, goodness, or gentleness to? You get the idea.
We only experience the maximum benefit of the fruit of God’s Spirit when we are fully surrendered to Him. But we must have help on this path because our enemies are all around us. They quickly take advantage of the lone warrior. We must not walk alone.
We must establish an inner ring of soul-warriors.
Then we have accountability, protection, encouragement, and support. When we walk the path of full surrender together, we share a camaraderie that goes deeper than common interests. It is eternally meaningful. It produces everlasting fruit. Souls are saved. People are trained and discipled to win this spiritual warfare we are in!
It is within these godly friendships that we also share a special measure of the other benefits of God’s presence—like His wisdom and strength.
Jesus established the local church in order to accomplish His purpose through us and give us this amazing inner ring!
My friend, building an inner ring takes time and energy. What is delightful and surprising is that most of my best friends I have are not the people that have a common career or similar earthly interests. My friends come from all walks of life and socioeconomic backgrounds. But we have one common bond—Jesus Christ. He transcends rhyme or reason and forges an eternal bond for us. He has chosen my best friends for me.
I am so grateful!
Yes, friends are a lot of work. Some have strange habits and don’t like the same food as I do. Most of them don’t like to hike like I do. But—our common bond in Christ brings us more joy than any activity or food. It is a bond built on Christ! I cannot imagine a better group of friends!
There is one alone, without companion: He has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his labors, nor is his eye satisfied with riches. But he never asks, “For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good?” This also is vanity and a grave misfortune.
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.
And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:8-12
