I treasure a Jehoshaphat friend. When faced with a decision, how many of us actually seek to find out what the Lord says first? Is going to God in prayer our primary response? Do we spend time looking for direction in His Word? Or, do we think we know what is best, disregard any counsel the Lord may send, and move forward with our plans our way? We need to consult with the Lord in all things, and it is the "Jehoshaphats" in our life that remind us to seek God first.
King Jehoshaphat desired that he and King Ahab seek counsel from God regarding an alliance in battle. King Ahab of Israel called 400 prophets together whom he knew would tell him exactly what he wanted to hear. They were prophets who were faithful to King Ahab, not faithful to God. When they all responded in agreement, encouraging war because God would give them victory, King Jehoshaphat still asked if a prophet of the LORD could be found to respond to the same inquiry. The King of Israel was hesitant to call on Micaiah because this prophet of the LORD never gave King Ahab the answers he wanted to hear. Micaiah was a truth teller who was faithful to only say what the Lord instructed him to speak.
I think many of us are more like King Ahab than we would like to admit. When we are needing instruction or advice, we go first to those who we know will give the response we want to hear. In the back of our mind, we know the path we want to take, so we first inquire of those friends who we are confident will point us in the direction we want to go.
Then there are those who will just agree with anything we say. I'm not 100% certain if these people just don't have any backbone, or if they are bending low for fear of losing a friendship. They nod in agreement to anything. I know a woman like this. You can say two completely different conflicting ideas and she will shake her head yes to both. I honestly have no idea where she stands on anything.
The friend I treasure most is the one I know will be honest. She won't just "tickle our ears" with what we want to hear, but as she sees us seeking answers from other sources, this friend will come to us, as King Jehoshaphat did, and keep reminding us, "But first let's find out what the LORD says."
This friend will also hold us accountable to truth we know. We all can hunt for scripture that can side with almost any choice we want to make. We can put the em-PHA-sis on the wrong syll-A-ble or take text out of context so it will speak in agreement to our desires. A seeker of God's Word will receive the hard, listen to the unwanted and walk in the way of obedience even when it is walking an opposite road.
A Jehoshaphat friend will remind us that we find out God's will for us through time in prayer and in His Word. Although there are stories of those who flip open God's Word and land on verses that give clarity, most often as we are daily committed to a schedule and plan, regularly studying scripture, He leads us as we read. It is in the routine of everyday life that God comes to us as He did David while tending sheep, Elisha while plowing a field, and Gideon while pressing wine.
Above all, this friend cares more about your relationship with the Lord than about your friendship. She will risk being misunderstood for the sake of your heart and your spiritual growth. A Jehoshaphat friend will always, ALWAYS point you towards God. Praise God for these friends. They will keep pressing you in to hear from the Lord and encourage you to take steps of obedience.
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