Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts

Wednesday, 2 December 2015

Daily Bible Reading with DragoNate #73

Comfort Your Friends

Job 2

I pray blessings on you as you read.

(v. 13) "Then they sat with him for seven days and seen nights. No one said a word to him, for they saw how great his suffering was."

My Thoughts

We all know what happened to Job right? He lost everything because Satan wanted to prove to God that if he took everything away from Job, Job would turn away from God. God allowed Satan to do what he wanted because He knew that Job would stay faithful to Him.

Well, as you can imagine, Job was upset and suffering. Who wouldn't be after basically losing everything you own, and everything you have, including your children? On top of loss, Job was afflicted with sores all over his body. It was understandable that Job was suffering. His friends couldn't even recognize him from afar because he was such a mess.

Job's friends came to comfort him and to help through his suffering. For the first seven days and nights, no one said a word. The Bible says that they sat with Job. Seven days of silence. How awkward must that have been? I mean, maybe at that time, that was a totally normal thing, but for us, it would not be. So what exactly did they do for those seven days? Nobody really knows.

A lot of times, when someone is going through an extremely hard time, like Job was, it is impossible to say anything to give them comfort. Words either don't help or they make things worse. So how do you comfort them then? A hug. A tear. Being with them. Letting them vent. Sometimes just being with them is enough. But for seven days straight? Well, they had to have done something in that time...

Maybe they smiled at each other. They probably ate and drank, and obviously went to the bathroom. Maybe they spent their time looking at the clouds or listening to nature. The birds, other animals, even the sound of the wind in the trees. Maybe they even drew in the dirt or threw stones around or picked grass and blew it into the wind. Some of those things probably even helped the situation. I know that sometimes I just like to listen to the wind in the trees, especially when I am upset.

Surely they didn't do nothing. Job just needed the comfort of his friends in Christ until he was ready to vent about everything. Job talked about how he felt, his friends responded with their thoughts. Maybe you need comfort. Maybe you need to just vent about something that you're upset, depressed or angry about. If you don't want to talk to someone about it, write it down. Even if you type it out. That way too, it would be less permanent as you can just delete it right away. The most important thing you should do is pray. God will comfort you and will help you through whatever you are going through.

Maybe you're on the opposite end; you know someone who is suffering or struggling. Just being with them is often enough. Be there for them. You don't to use words to show that you love them or to comfort them. Right now, I just pray that anyone reading this, and even those who aren't, would find comfort and peace through whatever they are going through.

Prayer Time

Now you talk to God about what you read, and you can even read this chapter of the Bible for yourself before you do.

Let me know your thoughts on this reading as well.

Thank you for taking the time to read, I pray that what you have read blesses and inspires you! Godbless!

Wednesday, 25 November 2015

Daily Bible Reading with DragoNate #66

Friends

3 John

I pray blessings on you as you read.

(v. 13-14) "I have much to write to you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name."

My Thoughts

Friends are important. Friends keep us from being lonely, they are there for each other, they talk and discuss things, and so on. Most of my friends aren't even Christ followers, but there is nothing wrong with that. Christ doesn't want us to keep within ourselves anyway, so it's perfect. For your friends who do follow Christ, pray together. That is such an awesome thing, to talk to God with others!

John wrote to his friend, Gaius, because he wanted to talk with him, tell him things and encourage him. He would also rather talk in person with his friend than write to him. That is always so much nicer, isn't it? When you talk to your friends face to face, it is so much better than talking to them via email, text, or even phoning or writing.

In society today, it is better to talk over phone or by writing if you can't face to face. Emails can be misconstrued, as well as texts because you can't hear tone of voice to determine joking from insult or excitement from anger. Writing is usually clearer because you can understand the tone of the letter by the way in which it was given. Who actually writes letters now anyway? It would be cool to receive a letter from a friend or family member!

The point is, face to face interaction between people is usually better, not only language-wise, but because you can actually see the person. With a screen between you, there is still distance, you can't hug or high-five.

Encourage your friends and talk to them often, try for face to face rather than texting or calling. Especially if there is a problem between you and a friend, it would be better to deal with it face to face then to possibly make the problem worse by misinterpreting written words. I know sometimes you really don't have that option because of one reason or another, but try to keep device communication on the back burner.

Prayer Time

Now you talk to God about what you read, and you can even read this chapter of the Bible for yourself before you do.

Let me know your thoughts on this reading as well.

Thank you for taking the time to read, I pray that what you have read blesses and inspires you! Godbless!

Saturday, 24 October 2015

Daily Bible Reading with DragoNate #34

Brothers and Sisters and Others

Romans 1

I pray blessings on you as you read.

(v. 9-12) "God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how I constantly remember you in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God's will the way may be opened for me to come to you. I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong--that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith."

My Thoughts

Just as it is important for us to have friends in Christ, whom we would call our brothers and sisters in Christ, it can also be important for us to have friends who do not follow God. The reason for this is that we witness to our friends. It's usually much easier to share personal things with people we know, and even more the closer we are, than it is with complete strangers.

We don't want our friends who don't share our faith to be a bad influence on us though. I have many friends who don't believe in God, who use bad language a lot, who don't always have a very good attitude towards others, who cheat or lie. No one is perfect, and even I have lied before and said words that I shouldn't, but I don't let my friends' attitudes become mine as well. I just be myself and have my own attitude, which I try to always keep positive.

I try to be a positive influence on my friends always. If your attitude is positive and you hold true to who you are, then no amount of negativity or bad attitude is going to change that in you. So just as you don't want anyone's bad influence to change you, you don't want to forcibly change anyone else's. I just be myself with my friends. I don't force my faith or beliefs or anything on them. I answer questions that they have honestly and sometimes in conversation I will share what I believe.

Sharing and brainwashing are totally different things. I am all for sharing what you think, what you feel, what you believe and so on. Sharing is caring! Don't get carried away with it or become aggressive or forceful. Especially as Christ followers, that is not how we should be because that would make us hypocrites. Be a good, true friend to all of your friends, and keep seeking out more. Don't force your opinions or beliefs on them, or on anyone, but don't be afraid to share them either. It may be through you that your friends become you brothers and sisters in Christ.

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Prayer Time

Now you talk to God about what you read, and you can even read this chapter of the Bible for yourself before you do.


Thank you for taking the time to read, I pray that what you have read blesses and inspires you! Godbless!