“God, I need this!” You’ve heard that one before –you’ve probably even said it.

You have probably also been warned against relying on God as if He is a giant vending machine. That’s a fair point. God doesn’t exist for your happiness, and His will does not revolve around giving you what you want.

So you try hard not to remember God just when you feel desperate and needy.

But have you gone too far?

It’s just as easy to make God into a “fair-weather friend.”

I know I’ve done it. Rather than calling on the Lord as my refuge and my strength in times of need, I’ve pretended He wasn’t around when things weren’t going so good. I didn’t want to blame Him or feel disappointed in His care. I didn’t want to make God’s goodness depend on my satisfaction.

Then, when I was feeling fantastic, I was thrilled to give Him all the praise and glory.

God isn’t a fair-weather friend any more than He is a safety net when life gets too hard.

Take it from Abraham, who was called God’s friend for His faithfulness. He believed God was good when, in his old age, he had a son and received the promise of being the father of a great nation. He also believed in God’s goodness when he was asked to sacrifice his son.

You might also consider Job, who worshiped God while rich and fortunate. Job called on God and His refuge and comfort when his whole life came under attack. And he kept on praising the Lord when it was all restored.

David went from a lowly shepherd to a war hero, just to be hunted. Then he became king –and a murderous adulterer. He repented, was forgiven, and became a great leader. He was before the Lord and relying on Him all the while.

The Psalms tell us that.

“Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.” –Psalm 23:6

 Are you a friend of God every day of your life? Do you believe in His goodness or go before Him with your needs and with your praise?