Friends and Fellowship: God’s Hands and Feet
“Two are better than one because they have a good return for their work; If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!”
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NIV
Before I moved to Texas for my first job, my hometown pastor gave me the best advice. He called me into his office after service on my last Sunday in Louisiana. I remember our conversation like it was yesterday. “Mitzie, you are embarking on a new chapter in your life. All of us here are proud of you. I see the faith you have, but I want you to know that you will be tested and tempted every day,” he said. I thought, This was not the pep talk I was expecting.
“I want you to read this every day,” he said, placing his hand on the Bible. “I also want you to ask God for an inner circle of friends,” he added. He explained, “Those are the people you want in your life when the load gets too heavy for you to carry. They jump in and carry it for a while; they are there praying for you when you don’t know how or cannot pray; and they are the ones you want with you when you draw your last breath. They are faithful to His Word.”
The devil tries to put people in our lives who are toxic to sidetrack what God is trying to do in our life. “Now they will not be perfect. There will be bumps in the road, but they will be His hands and feet to help guide and encourage you,” my pastor added.
God gave me a great group of friends. We have all grieved, prayed, and rejoiced together. I am so blessed by them. I was reminded of that when I started cancer treatment. I sat in the cold waiting room to be called into the treatment room, feeling alone and nervous. Suddenly my cellphone began to blow up with text messages, some with Bible verses; others with words of encouragement like, “God’s got this. And He’s got you,” and some had praying hands emojis. I knew they cared for and loved me. It was like they were there in the waiting room. A sign from God that they were as near as He was to me.
Find your inner circle friends through God’s help and you can be a blessing to each other through the good and bad times. They are God’s messengers on earth and a lifeline.
Mitzie Avera
