The Effects Of A True Friendship!
Writer Author Bob Arba
Christian Article
:
Relationships
- Fiction No
For most of his life Jim was strong in his faith. But today he found himself at a point in his life when his faith is put to the test. He found himself questioning whether God really cares. Does God really understand my situations? Why doesn’t God answer my prayers anymore?
At one time early in his Christian life Jim had a close intimate relationship with God. At one time in his life he could trust God with any area of his life. He had great faith. But circumstances, trials, and other events of life have caused Jim to grow distant from God. He no longer prays as faithfully as he used to. He rarely reads his bible. And his church attendance is not really all that consistent anymore.
Jim and his father were pretty close. They enjoyed going fishing and hunting together. They really had the father and son bond, the relationship as God had intended it to be. But one day something terrible happened that shook Jim's faith to the core. Jims’ father was killed in a car accident. Now Jim hardly ever has time to think about fishing, hunting, or anything for that matter. With Jim being a senior in high school, he also now had the responsibility to help support his family. So Jim had to take on a part time job in the evenings after school. Also his mom works fulltime at the local library, but it is not enough to fully support Jim and his two younger siblings.
One evening Bill, a friend of Jim, stopped by to ask him to go to the local hang out with him. Jim really wanted to go, but instead he declined saying that he couldn’t because he had to go to work. Now Jim worked at the local café as a dishwasher making only minimum wage. But the few extra dollars was all that was keeping his family from starvation. It took everything that his mom made just to pay the bills. And all that Jim made on his job was to put groceries in the house. But the problem is that the job that Jim has at the café also requires him to work on Sundays a lot because of the large lunch crowd. Therefore he has to miss part of the Sunday sermon most of the time. Some Sundays he doesn’t even attend. His mother regrets the fact that Jim has to work and miss so much church, but they really do need the money.
Bill was aware of the situation at Jim’s home, so instead of going off with the rest of the gang today, he decided that he would go to the café and help Jim with the dishes. He knew that doing so he would not get paid, but he just wanted to be a friend to Jim. Jim didn’t really understand why Bill would volunteer to come and help him, but Bill had reason enough.
As Jim and Bill were washing dishes that evening, Bill began to talk to Jim about his concern for Jim’s irregular church attendance. Also why was he not spending time at all with any of his friends? Jim explained that it was because of the financial situation at home. So Bill asks, “Have you prayed about this Jim? I mean have you considered asking God for a job that would pay more with less hours so that you could have a life outside of this café?” “Well.” said Jim, “To tell you the truth, I hadn’t much thought of it that way”. “Ok.” said Bill, “If you will promise me that you will pray about it, then I will pray with you”. “Sure.” said Jim. “And when God gives you that new job”, replied Bill, “Do you promise that on your first day off that we can go hang out together”? Jim grinned real big and said, “Deal.”
And so the two of them began to pray about the need for Jim to get a better, higher paying job. The following Sunday, as Jim was about to enter the church, Rev. Tyson called Jim aside to speak with him.
He said, ”Jim, I understand that you are having to work now to help your mom support the family. But frankly I’m a bit concerned over the fact that you miss so much church in order to make the needed money. So I have been praying about it. And I believe that I have an answer to your situation”.
“Oh! Really?” replied Jim.
“Yes.” said Rev. Tyson. “Just yesterday, I was down at Greg’s garage, and he was complaining about not being able to find good dependable help. So I ask him what kind of person was he looking for, what hours will this person work, and what is the hourly pay. He told me that he needed someone to work evenings Monday through Friday from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. The new person will also be cleaning the tools and sweeping the garage while he finishes all of his paperwork. He said that he would be happy to pay the right person at least $7.50 an hour. So I told him that I would find that right person for him.” “Now Jim”, he asked, “Do you think that right person could be you?”
Jims’ eyes were wide with excitement. “I’d be right happy to work for Mr.. Greg. That would be a lot more than I’m getting paid at the café and I’d be off on weekends too!”
“That’s right”, said Rev Tyson. “And if you’d like, you can start tomorrow evening”.
“Do you think that he’d hire me?” asked Jim.
“Sure.” said Rev Tyson. “I’ve already discussed you with Mr. Greg and he thought you’d be a great choice”.
So the next afternoon instead of going to the café, Jim went to Greg’s Garage. The following Saturday he and all his friends, including Bill were able to go have a great time hanging out together..
Through all of this, Jim learned some very important lessons. First of all, you must always put you trust in God and put him first in all that you do. Secondly, if you desire to see changes in your situation, you must first pray about it and allow God to handle the situation. Thirdly, he learned the value of a friend that would be willing to sacrifice his own enjoyment of the day to come help him understand his need to pray. Also, he realized that he had a friend that would stand with him through the difficult times.
We never know what someone else is going through or how a word of encouragement and an act of love and kindness may be the best gift of friendship. Your actions can lift someone else’s spirits. You never know when it may be your turn to need a lift, so do not pass up the opportunity to be there for others when you can. The bible says, in Mark 12:31 KJV, that we are to “Love thy neighbor as thyself”. If we are to follow that principle, then we must be willing to understand the burden that our neighbor is carrying and be willing to help him carry it for a while.
I am truly thankful for the friends in my life that have helped me to carry my load at times that I didn’t feel that I could carry it any more. When I thought that I was at the end of my rope, God sent someone my way to encourage me and cheer me on. And if it looked like I was about to stumble under the load, that friend would reach out, catch me, and carry the load for me for a while.
I am reminded of Simon of Cyrene. When Jesus had fallen under the weight of the cross and was no longer able to carry it, Simon picked it up and carried it to the top of Golgotha for him. When I could no longer carry the burden of my sins, Jesus reminds me that he took them to Calvary for me over 2000 years ago. And when I humbly repent before him, he picks them up and cast them away, as far as the east is from the west. What a loving and mighty God he is! What a truly wonderful friend indeed!
Copyright 2008 by Robert Hebron.
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About the Writer Author
State:
Louisiana
Country:
United States
Email:
Arba2722@yahoo.com
Website:
www.Arba.FaithWeb.com
Profile:
Click here!
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