AUGUST 2012
THE COFIELD REPORT VOLUME 19
Friendship: A Help to Holiness Submitted by: Mary Daniels John 15:12-15 In all of God's creation, just one thing did not meet with His approval. He looked upon Adam, who was the only being of his kind, and said, "It is not good for the man to be alone" (Gen. 2:18). The Creator designed people for emotional, mental, and physical intimacy so they'd be able to share their innermost selves with one another. Jesus explained this to His disciples, saying they should love each other as He had loved them. In a Godhonoring friendship, two people build each other up and spur one another toward Christlikeness. Many people, however, fall far short of making and maintaining relationships that sharpen their faith (Prov. 27:17). They instead welcome the trivial talk of casual acquaintances: the weather, tough bosses, and world affairs are safe topics. Sadly, believers often shy away from the penetrating conversations about sin, accountability, and biblical living that would serve to enrich their faith. Strong relationships begin with men and women who decide to risk their pride and comfort in order to love as Jesus does. They recognize that friends are meant to motivate one another toward holiness. In a friendship of mutual trust and submission, two people will confess sin, offer gentle reproof, and share burdens. The walls we build to keep people at a distance are often defenses against God as well: we don't want Him too close to our most personal business. But as believers learn to share openly and freely with a brother or sister in Christ, they develop the capacity to be more honest with God. Are You Waiting for Something? Have you wondered what God is doing when you can't see him? Have you ever felt that He is too busy to answer your cry for help? Have you felt forgotten in this crazy world? We all feel that way at times. For whatever reason, sometimes, God chooses to be silent. His purpose is not to punish you. He is not too busy. Don't for a second believe the lie that He may have forgotten you. The silence may be what pushes us to dig deeper, like a growing plant in search of water. It could be that the answers are before our eyes, but we are too human to see what God wants us to see. Maybe we are looking with our eyes instead of our heart. It might not be time for God to reveal what he has for you. It's not easy to wait, especially when God is silent, but experience tells us that it will be worth it. We know that our impatience will only get in the way of what he plans to do with us. We can try to hurry him along, but we'll only end up feeling frustrated. The truth is that we should only want what he wants for us. True happiness lies in resting in his will, in his hands, on his path, in his time. So, we wait and believe and trust. In posture of prayerful acceptance we can leave all of our doubts behind. "The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged" (Deuteronomy 31:8). 6