Perfect Friend Revealed - Encouragement Café - October 18
Perfect Friend Revealed
By Andrea Hine
This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 1 John 4:10 NLT
Have you ever had someone new come into your life and, for some unknown reason, you felt compelled to be their perfect friend? Or maybe you have expected someone to be your perfect friend, elevating them so high in your mind, to meet your expectations? If you can relate to either scenario, did those relationships suffer, or God forbid end, and all you have left to consume your thoughts is – what is wrong with you?
Friend, I can relate to you on both -- and to make our friendship doubly doomed for failure -- both were present. Our friendship was perfect in the beginning because she was Christ to me. His divine love poured out of her like nothing I have experienced before in my life. His brilliant light shone through her, blinding me from seeing her for who she was - an imperfect sinner just like me.
Looking back on our relationship, although it has been one of the most hurtful, it has been the most healing friendship God could have given me. He has used our friendship to reveal things to me about Himself, others and myself. He has used this time to transform me into who He wants me to be and to reflect His image. He chose someone who reflects His image so faithfully that it has been impossible for me to ignore how He wants me to live. His ways are perfect.
I can assure you, there is nothing wrong with you. You are an imperfect sinner. We are all imperfect sinners and as such, we look to others to fulfill our needs and those needs will never be met by anyone but Christ. We all have a past that has left us broken and damaged. We have scars from our childhoods that impact our adulthoods. We were born into sin and our God knows this. He knows everything about us.
It all comes down to this – there is only one perfect One for us and that is the Truth. The Truth will set us free and make us perfect in Him. The Truth, the Perfect Truth, is all we need. We need a Savior and He is Perfect and no one else or nothing else will be perfect while we live in this world.
Is there anyone in your past or your present that you need to forgive for not being who they are humanly incapable of being? Are there lies that you have believed about God, others or yourself that you need to replace with the truths in God’s Word? Do you desire a Perfect Friend? Read How To Make Jesus Your Best Friend by Norman Vincent Peale.
Heavenly Father, You are our One and Only Perfect Friend, but it takes some of us a long time to come to this realization. Thank You for Your grace and for Your patience and for never giving up on us. Please help us to mend our relationships we have damaged because we either expected too much of others or ourselves. As we apply Your Word to our lives, may we grow in wisdom and strength to live according to Your purposes. Thank You for sending Your One and Only Son to die on the cross for our sins. We pray in Jesus’ Name - our Reigning Savior, our Brother born for affliction, and our Perfect Friend who loves us at all times - Amen.
© 2019 by Andrea Hine. All rights reserved.
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