Real Friends Show Up in a Crisis
By Rick Warren

“A friend should treat a troubled person kindly, even if he abandons the fear of the Almighty” (Job 6:14 GW).

Real friends show up when you’re in a crisis. Real friends walk into your life when everybody else walks out. It is in a crisis that you learn pretty quickly the difference between acquaintances and friends. You have a lot of acquaintances. Who is the friend that is going to show up in the crisis in your life?

Did you know that the Bible says that even when people turn their back on God, they still deserve to have friends? Job 6:14 says, “A friend should treat a troubled person kindly, even if he abandons the fear of the Almighty” (GW).

The first thing everybody needs in a crisis is other people. You need a support group — some mature Christian brothers and sisters who will love you, who will care for you, who will comfort you, who will encourage you, who will support you, who will meet your needs, who will counsel you.

That’s why I never stop talking about the importance of being in a small group. Build a safety network in your life so when the rogue winds come you have genuine friends who will be there for you.

You say, “But wait a minute! Don’t you need to pray first in a crisis?” Well yeah, if you can. But the truth is, in a crisis we’re often in so much stress and shock that we don’t even know what to pray. It’s at that point that you need other people praying for you.

You need other people to say, “It’s OK. We’ll pray for you. We’ll believe for you. We’ll be there for you.”

Playtoday’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Talk It Over

  • Who are the people in your life who will call you to show up for them when they are in a crisis?
  • Who are the people in your life who will show up when you are in a crisis?

For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit rickwarren.org


offer

Discover God’s power to change your life!

God is all about changing lives. He can help you through any struggle you’re facing, and take you from where you are to where you want to be.
 In God’s Power to Change Your Life, Rick Warren lays the groundwork for personal transformation, offering biblical insights on what it takes to...
 • Become more loving
• Live more peacefully
• Develop patience
• Have self-control
 
So please request your copy of God’s Power to Change Your Life below. It’s our gift to thank you for your financial support to help more people discover the hope of Christ!

This devotional © 2016 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

You can also listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.