2 Tim 4:16-17 (NKJV) – “At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me…”
There are moments in life when the ones you counted on disappear. Jesus knew this well. In His darkest hour, the healed, the delivered, and even His closest disciples were nowhere to be found. Peter warmed himself at the enemy’s fire, while the rest fled into the shadows. The same voices that once cried “Hosanna” were drowned out by shouts of “Crucify Him.” This is the paradox of friendship: those who benefit from your presence may vanish in your pain.
But notice: absence of friends did not mean absence of God. In Gethsemane, angels strengthened Him (Luke 22:43). On the cross, though abandoned by men, He was fulfilling the will of the Father. Likewise, Paul confessed that all forsook him, “but the Lord stood with me.” This is the anchor of the believer: when human support vanishes, divine presence takes over. What leaves you lonely before men situates you more fully before God.
So, don’t panic when friends vanish; see it as God’s invitation into a deeper reliance on Him. Their absence does not weaken your calling—it clarifies it. Their silence does not halt your mission—it amplifies God’s voice in your spirit. If Calvary teaches us anything, it is this: man’s absence is often the stage for God’s greatest nearness.
Further Readings:
Psa 27:10
Isa 41:10
Heb 13:5
🙏 Blessed Day 🙏
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