Spiritual friendship also provides inspiration. It is often said that a man is the average of his five best friends. There is much truth to this. Who we run with determines the pace we keep. This is why a shared thermostat is so important. The idea of a thermostat is that, if the temperature drops too low, the heating will kick-on. The purpose is consistency. Due to our sinful nature every Christian is prone to drifting, relaxing, holding back, distraction, and giving up in the face of difficulty. Inconsistency is natural to us; consistency is an ongoing struggle. What can a man do to protect himself from such weakness? There is no guardrail more useful that a circle of spiritual friends. Hearing such words as ‘Don’t give up!’, ‘Where were you?’, ‘You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you,’ or ‘Fear not! God is with you,’ can be a cup of Gatorade on a hot day, refreshing the heart and supplying strength for yet another leg of the race.
Inspiration: the Second Benefit of Spiritual Camaraderie