When friends let you down, what should you do? I have been on both sides of the fence. I have let friends down, and I have been let down by friends. Let’s face it. We’re all imperfect. And friendships aren’t always easy. And people not just others but ourselves included can present challenges. But if we’re committed followers of Jesus, over time we should be letting friends down less. And we should be handling things better when friends let us down. What exactly should we do when friend let us down?
The obvious per the Bible is we should love them, forgive them, pray for them, bless them, do good to them, be merciful with them, be kind to them, etc. We should repent before God of any of our own wrongdoing and seek their forgiveness if and as the Lord leads us. And we should pray and seek God’s will concerning if He wants us to make any changes regarding the friendship such as if He wants us to remain friends, to spend more or less time together, to treat our friends differently, to listen more, to give more, to encourage more, to take a season apart from our friends, to let go of the friendship because He is leading us elsewhere or because the friendship is not ordained by Him, etc.
But this message is not about any of that. Instead I am compelled to share with you an exceedingly beautiful blessing I have found when it comes to friends letting us down or regarding anything sad, painful, hurtful, discouraging, burdensome, challenging, etc. in life for that matter. And herein is the wisdom God has given me.
Come to Jesus. Place your full trust in Him. Come into the shelter of God almighty. Bring your hurting heart and all your thoughts and feelings to Him. Pour out your heart to Him. Come into His refuge. Come under His wings. Rest in His shelter. Fall down before Him. Lie prostrate before Him. Or get on your knees and pray to Him. Or curl up on your bed and seek and receive His comfort. Draw closer to Him. Open the Bible. Bask in the treasures within. Seek wisdom from God. Find healing in Jesus. Commune with the Lord. Rejoice in Jesus.
Find peace and hope in God. Bring your expectation to Him who will never let you down. Give God your tears. Enjoy His company. Experience His presence. Be still. In Him and in His love find all you need. Be restored by Him. Be refreshed and renewed. Draw ever closer to Him and Him to you. Experience His lovingkindness, His tenderness. Find safety in Him. Let Him be your defense. Your fortress. Hide in Him. Bask in His light. Abide. Yes, abide in the Lord Jesus Christ.
There is one Lord. One God. One Savior. One Father in heaven (Ephesians 4:4-6). May He be your Lord, God, Savior, Father, healer, comforter, first love, and your very best friend FOREVER. Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice, oh rejoice!
Over the years, many times I have found beautiful, powerful, healing, encouraging, comforting verses on God being a refuge, shelter, fortress, watchtower, defense, secret place, hiding place, safety, etc. for His people. I encourage you to seek and find them in the Bible and to be inspired and moved by them to abide in the Lord! Oh, abide!
“A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24 nkjv
“For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy.” Psalms 61:3 NKJV
“I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings…” Psalms 61:4 NKJV
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.”” Psalms 91:1-2 NKJV
“Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us…” Psalms 62:8 NKJV