A few weeks ago I had the privilege of giving a friend a ride home from our church's monthly women's prayer meeting. Before she got out of the car, we were able to spend a few moments talking and she was sharing with me all the little ways God worked in answering a very big request/decision of theirs.
I remember pulling away from that street thinking how great it is to be able to share those stories and testimonies with one another. Our God is great and mighty and faithful - not just to some but to all. I had been praying for this family and their decisions even though during the prayer time, I wasn't sure of all the answers they were looking for, I was prayerfully trusting that God would answer them and when He did, it was that much sweeter to celebrate with this family as they praised God.
That night, as I drove the few remaining blocks home, Proverbs 27:17 came to my mind, "Iron sharpeneth iron: so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend."
Such true words.
I was sharpened that night. I was sharpened by her testimony of trusting God and relying on Him to work out the situation and having the patience to allow Him to do it in His time. It's exciting to hear when He comes through.
I was also sharpened just the other day by a friend. I was talking to her on the phone and before we hung up she asked if there was anything she could pray for me about. Honestly, I was caught off guard but in a good way. I spend hours on the phone each day and even when they are personal calls, I do not get asked that question very often but I appreciated her interest and her initiative to ask. I responded and posed her the same question and this opened up a conversation about her desire to be a witness for the Lord to her co-workers. Now, not only had I been encouraged by her asking about my prayer requests but now (unknown to her) she was encouraging me to evaluate my desire to be a witness to my own co-workers. As she described the different people she was burdened for, I couldn't help but feel a bit convicted as I myself had numbed out the desire and the burden I once had for those I am around.
I hung up that day, sharpened.
The Christian life is exciting. It is not dull, dreary and boring but rather exciting, thrilling, challenging and fulfilling. Sharing our requests with one another can draw us closer and it also affords us the opportunity to share our triumphs with each other as well.
A good example of that is yet another friend of mine who had been trying to qualify for the state track tournament. Track meet after track meet, she would pray and had a strong desire and her mind made up to do it for His glory. She had her moments of struggle...moments of disappointment but she always let me know when her next meet was so I could pray for her.
Then.....Saturday came. I was out of town but I got a text message on my phone: "I QUALIFIED!"
As soon as I saw those words appear on my screen, I felt a grin spread across my face. I am sure it reached from ear to ear. For weeks, track meet after track meet, I had prayed for her and watched her work hard to accomplish her goal and that day her goal was met!! I was overjoyed for her but also I was so very happy that I was able to partake in her victory in a small way.
Christian, don't hesitate to sometimes share your requests, struggles or trials with other believers. We are to bear each others burdens and at the same time, we can celebrate together in each other triumphs! We can sharpen each other. Just as iron needs iron to be sharpened, so does a believer get sharpened by another believer.
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