Serving Others

1 Corinthians 12:26-27 (NIV) ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. ²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Serving others; this is something that has been weighing so heavy on my heart lately. We can always lift others up in prayer, but we also have to realize that, at times, He requires more from us than that.  We are the hands and feet of Christ and if we are living a life for Him then we must also reach out as He would do. 

I think sometimes we get lost in what can we do. A situation can look too big and we allow fear to stop us.  Possibly we feel like what little contribution we can offer would be too insignificant to even matter.  However, the truth of the matter is most times it’s not the “action” we perform as much as it is the heart and motive behind it that really makes the difference.  

There are so many ways we can reach out to others; cook a meal for a family, offer to help the elderly around the house or even just to sit with someone and offer them your undivided time and attention.  There is so much hurt, isolation and blindness is this world that a simple heartfelt conversation with sincere intentions could truly be the “miracle” that someone needs in their life.  

This past Sunday my Pastor asked us: of all the time you’ve been coming to church, sitting in the same area and coming to the same service, how well do you know the person next to you?  Think about that! How often do you encounter the same individuals and not take the time to actually talk to them; to get to know them and be there for them if you can be? 

  

Mark 10:45(NLV) ⁴⁵ For the Son of Man did not come to be cared for. He came to care for others. He came to give His life so that many could be bought by His blood and be made free from sin.”

Our own Heavenly Father sent His only Son, not to live a selfish life in royalty as He so deserved, but instead to serve others.  To give of Himself in word and deed that we may know what true service and love are.  

If we as Christians can’t be the hands and feet of Jesus: to serve, lift up and just plain be there for others…then what is our real purpose?  Reach out to someone today; give a kind word or an unselfish gesture…take the time to get to know someone and offer yourself.  I’m pretty sure in the end, they will not be the only one blessed because your actions will bless your heart and your life too. 

Experiencing God

I’m reading What Happens When Women Walk in Faith, by Lysa TerKeurst and I have to say it’s a book that anyone would be blessed to read; it’s opening my eyes to so many things.  I’m learning to understand the different stages in my faith and life; to not only accept them, but to live through each one of them while not just holding onto my faith, but allowing it to grow.  

As I was reading this morning a particular quote really struck a chord with me, being honest over half of the book has struck a chord with me and is highlighted and hand written in. In chapter 19 it says “The realization hit me hard: The joy of the journey is not simply reaching the Promised Land.  The real joy was experiencing God throughout all the phases of joy.” Think about that for just a minute.  What would happen if we took each day, each step and truly looked for the joy in it and allowed it to bring us closer to God?

This seems to be where I am at in my life right now.  I want to pause and take in God; to absorb all of His splendor and glory.  Does this mean that there still aren’t things that need worked on or “fixed” if you will; No.  In fact there are some very important things that truly need to be worked out, but nothing will be resolved in my worry and trying to take things into my own hands.  Instead, right now, right where I am in this messy thing we call life I am going to allow God to use me and experience Him in each phase, struggle and triumph. 

You know, sometimes we can get so caught up in what we need, what is wrong or how bad a situation is right now that we forget just how good He’s been to us.  He’s been faithful to me, carried me through many hurts and disappointments.  He’s restored my joy and comforted my pain…always showing me that He loves me and for that I’m grateful.  It’s easy to point out the bad, but I’m challenging myself to find the good…no matter what my feelings or emotions tell me, I am determined to remember just who He is and how really amazing that is.