When the World Goes Out

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity." — Proverbs 17:17
 
Do you know who your real friends are?
 
Sometimes when you get squeezed, the real surprise happens to be the people God places in your life. One person once said, "A real friend is someone who comes in when the whole world goes out."
 
Think about that. When everything falls apart—when the diagnosis comes, when the job ends, when the relationship crumbles—most people disappear. There are a lot of fair-weather friends who are there for you when you party, but there's only a handful who draw close when you go through dark times.
 
Lean on those people.
 
Don't expect a large gaggle of encouragers. You don't need a crowd to get through hard times. You only need at least one. And God does have one for you.
 
Look at Jonathan and David. Jonathan knew God's hand was upon David to be the next king—not him. Think about what Jonathan was dealing with. His father's expectations. His own future displaced. But Jonathan chose friendship over rivalry.
 
"And Jonathan had David reaffirm his oath out of love for him, because he loved him as he loved himself" (1 Samuel 20:17).
 
Nothing is a greater gift in your life outside salvation than one friend who is closer than you could ever imagine. I think the poorest person here is the one without a friend.
 
And if you will ever have a friend like that, you need to be a friend like that.
 
Who has God placed in your life? Don't walk your detour alone.