Friendship is one of the greatest gifts that God has given us on this earth. If you’ve ever had a best friend or a really close friend, you know that there is nothing quite like someone who understands you, loves you, and cares for you despite the circumstances.
This verse in Proverbs perfectly captures the picture of what true friendship looks like. Friendship is not only sunshine and rainbows; it is also a means by which God counsels you and holds you accountable. True friendship is more valuable than simply spending time together and having common interests. Instead, true friendship is when your friends help you and keep you in check in your relationship with God and your life choices.
Friends who truly care about you will tell you when you’re going the wrong way. They will advise you when you need it, and, hopefully, you will receive their counsel. As the Scripture says, a friend’s hearty counsel is sweet and rejoices the heart. Let us not despise counsel from our friends but rather receive it with rejoicing since we know that they care about us enough to help us along.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of friendship. I pray that I would be even more appreciative of my friends and that You would continue to surround me with people in my life who care about me enough to correct me and advise me when things are going wrong. Lord, give me people that love me and point me to You. May my friends draw me closer to You and help me to be a friend that draws others closer to You as well. 
In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.