Bible Parables S2E7 : The Friend At Midnight

And today's parable is from Luke chapter 11 verses 5 to 8.

And he said to them,

Which of you shall have a friend,

And go to him at midnight,

And say to him,

Friend,

Lend me tree loaves?

For a friend of mine has come to me on this journey,

And I have nothing to set before him.

And he will answer from within and say,

Do not trouble me,

The door is now shut,

And my children are with me in bed.

I cannot rise and give it to you.

I say to you,

Though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend,

Yet because of his persistence,

He will rise and give him as many as he needs.

And that's a short parable.

The central theme that comes true in this parable is persistence.

Persistence in prayer,

Persistence in asking.

And along with persistence,

What seems to stand out is also having that element of trust,

Having that element of faith that you will be provided with what you need,

With what you are asking for.

And at the same time,

It encourages us not to let the fear of rejection,

Not to let inconvenience stop you from approaching a friend,

Approaching the universe,

Approaching God with what you need.

We will now go into each of these lines of the parable and try to understand a little bit more.

And the parable starts,

Which of you shall have a friend and go to him at midnight and say to him,

Friend,

Lend me tree loaves.

This sentence by itself,

It can be interpreted to refer to a moment of crisis,

A moment of crisis in your life.

Midnight.

Midnight symbolizes darkness.

It symbolizes uncertainty.

Midnight could also symbolize depression.

And the act of going to a friend at such a time,

This can highlight the courage to seek help.

Because sometimes we reach a certain point in our life where we are in a very critical situation where we realize that we are not able to handle things on our own.

At that time,

We should realize that we need someone who we can go to for whatever problem we are having in our life,

For whatever crisis we are having in our life.

Asking for help is not a sign of weakness,

But asking for help is an act of trust.

It is an act of connection.

Vulnerability strengthens relationships.

Sometimes many of us hesitate to ask for help because we feel that we have to manage everything ourselves.

We have to do everything ourselves.

So,

Even when we need to get the support of someone,

We avoid going to that person because we feel that asking could be a sign of weakness.

Asking could put you in a weaker position,

Which can lead you to becoming obligated to that person who provides you help.

But in this parable,

We are reminded that asking is a sign of trust,

It is a sign of connection.

Being vulnerable can strengthen relationships.

So when in times of need,

Don't hesitate to turn to someone who you trust.

Don't hesitate to turn to God as you understand Him,

To turn to God as you understand Him,

No matter how inconvenient the timing may seem.

For a friend of mine has come to me on his journey and I have nothing to set before him.

Unpreparedness.

There are moments in our life where we feel unprepared or where we are unprepared or we are inadequate to meet the demands of life or to even support someone who is relying on you.

Accepting our limitations.

Accepting our limitations is the first step to address them.

It's okay to feel empty,

It's okay to feel lacking,

But it's not okay to let that feeling,

It is not okay to let that stop you from seeking solutions.

Trusting that resources and support will come to you when you are willing to ask and act in faith.

Because life always provides for us when we step forward with intention.

So many times in our life we are unprepared,

We are inadequate.

And maybe sometimes people come to us for support and we are not able to provide them support ourselves.

And many situations in our life mirror what is being said in this sentence.

And He will answer from within and say,

Do not trouble me.

The door is now shut and my children are with me in bed.

I cannot rise and give to you.

And sometimes at first the world or people that you seek help from,

They may seem unwilling.

They may be unavailable or they may even be resistant to your request.

They may ignore you.

And resistance is often not personal.

Many times we face these closed doors where we go to someone and we are refused.

When we are refused,

How do we feel?

We feel disappointed.

We feel dejected.

We feel broken down.

And then we hesitate to ask another fearing the same rejection.

We hesitate even to ask the same person again fearing the same rejection.

Close doors.

Don't let them discourage you.

The central theme that comes out in this parable is persistence.

Persist in your efforts.

Because sometimes what seems like resistance can often be a test of your commitment,

Can often be a test of your faith.

I say to you,

Though He will not rise and give to him because he is his friend,

Yet because of his persistence He will rise and give him as many as he needs.

And persistence pays off.

Whether you are working toward a goal,

Whether you are seeking help from someone,

Whether you are striving for personal growth,

Consistent effort often leads to success.

In fact,

Consistent effort,

If persisted upon,

Generally leads to success.

And persistence teaches us resilience.

Because when we push past that initial no,

We build inner strength and demonstrate that our need or our desire is genuine,

It is worthy of attention.

The universe,

It responds to faith-filled persistence.

By continuing to knock,

We show trust that needs will be met,

That our needs will be met,

And this reinforces our connection to divine abundance.

So the main takeaways.

Firstly,

Ask without fear.

Don't let the fear of rejection,

Don't let the fear of pride,

Because sometimes we fear rejection and sometimes we are proud.

Don't let the fear of rejection,

Don't let pride prevent you from seeking help.

Whether you are seeking help from others,

Whether you are seeking help from the universe or God as you understand Him,

Or whether you are seeking help from your inner wisdom,

Ask without fear.

Secondly,

Persist with faith.

Life tends to test our determination.

Keep asking,

Keep knocking,

Keep seeking,

Because persistence has the power to move obstacles.

Thirdly,

Trust the process.

Even when answers don't come immediately,

Trust that delays are part of the unfolding and always lead to greater good.

And finally,

Be a giver too.

Because at times,

We are the friend behind the door.

So we should also be willing to help others who come to you in the midnight of their life.

So embracing persistence,

Overcoming fear,

And trust in both divine and human connections to provide what we need in the darkest moments of life.

Another way I look at all the parables,

All the stories in the Bible is that all this,

The whole parable is happening in my own mind.

I am the person who is going and asking the friend for three loaves of bread.

And I am also the friend who is initially refusing.

I am also the friend who later on gives in because of persistence.

I am the person who faces a midnight in my life.

And I am also the person that people come to when they face their midnights in their life.

So all this is happening within my own mind.

When I was reflecting on this parable,

What else came up was the friend at midnight.

And there are two aspects to this.

All of us need to have that friend who they can go to at midnight.

All of us.

If you don't have that person that you can go to at midnight,

Start to find that person.

And that may be a person or it could be a spiritual practice.

But find that person or find that space that you can go to when you reach that midnight of your life,

When you reach that moment of crisis.

Make sure you have that friend.

Make sure you've created that space which can support you through whatever crisis you're going through in life.

And secondly,

So first is having that friend.

And secondly,

Make sure you are that friend to someone.

Make sure that you are making yourself available to support someone in the midnight of their life.

This is life.

This is our life.

And we need to support each other.

So make sure you are also available to support someone in the midnight of their life.

Supporting a person could come in many ways.

Sometimes people just need a year to listen to them.

Sometimes people just need someone who will encourage them a bit.

Sometimes people just need someone who they can talk to.

So make sure you have that friend at midnight,

That friend who you can go to at midnight and make sure that you are making yourself available as a friend who someone can come to in the midnight of their life.

So we will now go into a guided meditation based on the same parable.

This is a guided reflective meditation,

The friend at midnight.

It's an exploration of inner persistence.

Make yourself comfortable.

If you are sitting,

Relax in your seat.

If you are sleeping on the bed,

Let the bed support you.

If you are moving around,

Just let yourself relax and let go.

If it's safe to do so,

You can close your eyes.

If you are not comfortable closing your eyes,

You can simply lower your gaze towards the floor and bring your attention to your breath.

Bring your attention to your natural breath.

Feel the breath as it enters your body and as it exits the body.

In this meditation,

I will guide you on a journey inward using the parable to explore the power of persistence,

To explore trust,

To explore emotional resilience.

And notice how your body feels in this moment.

Feel the weight of your body supported by the surface beneath you.

With each breath,

Imagine roots growing from your body into the earth,

Anchoring you,

Anchoring you deeply.

Keeping you secure.

And in your mind affirm,

I am here.

I am grounded.

I trust in my inner strength and the process of my life.

Now picture yourself standing outside,

Standing outdoors in the quiet of midnight.

The world is silent.

There's the soft glow of the moon above.

You have a deep sense of urgency for a friend has arrived at your door,

Hungry and in need.

As you turn to look inside your house,

You realize there's nothing to offer,

No food,

No comfort.

You feel a pang of inadequacy.

Your mind races,

Feeling unprepared for the situation.

Pause here for the moment and notice how does it feel to recognize that you don't have what's needed in the world?

How does it feel to recognize that you don't have what's needed in the moment?

What emotions arise?

Maybe there's fear,

Maybe frustration,

Maybe even shame.

Allow these emotions to simply be.

Acknowledge them without judgment.

Now you remember that there is a neighbor,

Someone who has what you need.

You know that the neighbor is the key to your solution.

Even though it is late,

You decide to go and ask for help.

As you walk down the dark path,

Your steps are uncertain.

In the distance you see the faint light of the neighbor's home.

There's a sense of both hope and anxiety in your chest.

Your mind may be full of doubt.

What if they say no?

What if they don't understand?

Now pause.

What are the voices in your mind saying to you?

Are they supportive or are they resistant?

The voices in our mind that we hear throughout the day recognize that these voices are often remnants of past experiences,

Fears or inner doubts.

These are not truths.

They are conditioned thoughts.

You knock on the door.

There's a pause,

Followed by the voice of your neighbor from within.

Do not trouble me.

The door is shut and my family is sleeping.

I cannot help you.

Notice how this response feels.

What physical sensations arise in your body?

Do you feel the tension of rejection,

Frustration,

Or helplessness?

These are natural emotional responses to perceived barriers.

In this moment,

At this scene,

Recognize that this no is not a permanent truth.

It is the first response from a part of you that fears failure.

A part that believes things must be difficult.

But you have a choice.

You can choose to remain stuck in this feeling of rejection or you can shift.

With each breath,

Take a moment to feel the strength within you.

Visualize this strength as a warm golden light in your chest.

Your inner resolve.

Let this light grow stronger,

Expanding throughout your body with each inhale.

You decide to knock again,

This time more firmly.

You recognize that your need is valid and that your request,

Though inconvenient to others,

Is a genuine,

Is a necessary one.

How often do you face situations in life where your first attempt feels like a rejection?

Notice that sometimes,

When we experience resistance,

It's an opportunity to dig deeper into our resilience and persistence.

Say to yourself,

I persist because I trust my need is valid.

I trust that the universe life or my inner resource will meet me.

After your continued persistence,

The door creaks open.

Your friend,

Seeing your unwavering determination,

Smiles warmly and offers you what you need.

Three loaves of bread,

More than enough to meet the need of your friend.

As you take the loaves,

You notice the shift in your emotions.

Where there was once fear and anxiety,

There's now a deep sense of relief and gratitude.

As you hold the bread in your hands,

Feel the fullness of your own inner resilience.

The external circumstance has shifted,

But the deeper change has occurred within you.

You have demonstrated faith in the process.

And this faith has been rewarded.

The act of persistence is not just about an external circumstance,

But about your internal belief in your worthiness to deceive and your ability to navigate obstacles.

Think about a time in your life when persistence,

Even in the face of resistance,

Led you to a breakthrough.

What emotional shifts did you experience?

How did you believe in yourself or in a greater process help you overcome doubt?

When you persist,

You deepen your mind with belief and the energy of persistence builds your emotional strength,

Builds your faith.

And now bring your awareness back to your breath.

With each inhale,

Feel yourself becoming more grounded.

With each exhale,

Simply release any tension or any doubt if it is still there.

Place your hands gently over your heart,

Feeling the warmth and gratitude for the lessons you've encountered in this meditation.

Say silently,

I am worthy of receiving.

I trust the process of life to meet my needs.

And as we end this meditation,

Carry with you the understanding that persistence is a reflection of your inner strength.

Whenever you face moments of doubt,

Whenever you face external resistance,

Remember that you have the resilience within you to knock again,

To trust and to deceive.

And when you're ready,

Gently wiggle your fingers and toes and slowly open your eyes and carry the wisdom of persistence,

The wisdom of emotional resilience with you as you continue on your journey.

So action,

Action,

What action can we take?

What action can we take to embrace persistence,

To trust in our inner strength?

So firstly,

Acknowledge your needs and desires.

Take some time to clearly define what you truly want or need in your life right now.

What is the bread that you're seeking?

As you write this down,

Allow yourself to feel worthy of receiving it.

Secondly,

Inner resistance.

Confront your inner resistance.

Doubts,

Fears,

This inner resistance,

This always comes up.

There's always that voice in our head telling us what we can do and what we cannot do.

These doubts,

These fears,

This inner resistance,

Having these feelings are natural and they do not define your ability to deceive.

That initial no is simply a part of the process.

Don't let that temporary resistance stop you from persisting.

Thirdly,

Knock again.

Where in your life or which area in your life or is there an area in your life where you need to apply persistent effort?

Maybe it's a goal you're working on.

Maybe it's a challenge you faced.

Try today to take one step toward that goal with a sense of renewed faith and determination.

Knock again.

Even if the door seems closed,

Knock again.

Fourthly,

Engage your inner strength.

As humans,

We have the tendency of negative bias.

We tend to focus more on the negatives than on the positives.

Try to reflect on your time where you persisted in the face of adversity and you eventually succeeded.

Try to recollect those times.

And as you recollect that time,

Recognize that that power is there within you all the time.

It never left you.

So trust in your own resilience.

Trust in the process of life and let this belief guide your actions.

Fifthly,

Create space for divine provision.

Trust,

Faith that the universe,

That life,

That your inner resource will meet you at the right moment.

Create space for unexpected solutions to come your way.

Create that space where you can work out of the box.

Visualize the doors of opportunity opening as you stay focused on the path.

And then there's the daily practices.

Daily practice of journaling,

Daily practice of affirmation,

Daily practice of reflection and having that unwavering belief that your needs will be met.

And finally,

Celebrate small wins.

Every time you experience a shift,

Every time you experience a small success,

No matter how minor,

How small,

Celebrate it.

Acknowledge your own growth because sometimes we feel that there's nothing to be celebrated or we don't acknowledge our success,

We don't acknowledge our own growth.

So acknowledge your own growth.

Acknowledge the power of persistence because these small victories,

They build our confidence,

They build our faith.

Thank you everyone for being here today.

Love,

Light,

Blessings,

Namaste.