Throughout history, man has battled the idea that he is the only one who has had to endure temptation with a desire to do right (1 Kings 19:13-14). This lie was conceived by the father of lies (John 8:44) with the intent of convincing the believer into thinking that no one understands his difficulty. Though it is true that one man’s specific temptations may differ from that of another man, the basic premise is true: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man” (1 Corinthians 10:13). In Elijah’s day, there were 7,000 others (probably referring to only those in Israel) who experienced temptations similar to those experienced by Elijah (1 Kings 19:18).
Life presents many troubles that at times make it difficult to stand strong in the Christian walk. Standing alone makes it seem nigh impossible. Perhaps this is why God created friendships. The most precious times amongst spiritually-minded friends often take place when one of them finds himself in need. Far too many Christians stumble and fall spiritually because they have no one offering support and encouragement. True Christian friends are a help when those troublesome times arise. A true Christian friend encourages and strengthens his friend before he hits his lowest point and contemplates quitting. The heartbeat of Ecclesiastes 4:7-10 reveals that it is hard to serve the Lord alone. Yet serving Him with Christian friends provides extra strength in times of weakness and despair. A friend may be there to lift his brother up one day only to find the act of kindness reciprocated on another occasion.
