Over the last few days, I haven't been able to stop thinking. So many things have been running through my mind. As I'm starting to feel like a real married person (it's still just a little strange), my thoughts and the consequences of those thoughts seem to have become more weighty. I'm not just thinking about where I should live, or what job I should take. Now I'm considering where to plant my family and how to invest myself most faithfully in the lives of others.
I've been reading a book called "The Working Poor: Invisible in America", which highlights the struggles of so many Americans who work extremely hard and yet barely get by. I have been made aware in so many ways over the past few years of the great needs all over the world, but for the most part I have ignored the needs of the men and women right in front of me. Everywhere I go now, I try to look around and notice the people working hard to make the U.S. a comfortable place to live. I am so grateful for everything, everything, that God has provided. I never want to grow attached to material comforts or an easy life. I've been asking God to show me what my response should be to those around me who are in need. Sometimes I feel discouraged because I don't know how to help, but I know that God has a plan to take care of people through His Church.
As I've been thinking about so many different things lately, my biggest prayer has been that God would help guard my heart from pursuing a lifestyle of service without him. I want to be careful that I don't overlook the most important need of those around me, the need to know the Christ. Without sharing Him, any help I try to give is meaningless. I pray that I can learn to serve others as a result of what God has done for me, in the good times and the bad, whenever it is easy and whenever I want to run away from Him. I know I can take courage in the fact that God is in control. He is not worried about how He is going to get everything done. In His perfect will, and in His perfect timing, He will accomplish everything He has planned. Until then, I will keep on thinking . . .
2 comments:
I'm glad you're thinking about these things. It's always difficult trying to balance meeting the deep spiritual needs of people with their immediate and necessary physical needs. God has told us to do both, but the difficult part comes in the specifics. Wisdom calls into the streets for us to seek her.
Yeah, every thought gets weightier when you realize that every decision affects someone else too. It's a lot easier to do something risky (or stupid) if it's just yourself you're going to hurt. Just wait until we start adding children into the mix!
Josh:
I know what you mean about not wanting to pursue a lifestyle of service without Him. It's amazing how we can get caught up in so many things and realize that we were doing it without the Lord all along and that's why we're so miserable! Josh and I just realized that for the past year we haven't done anything ministry related. It really bugged us and we really want to change. I'm glad that you are thinking of these things now, and hopefully will not get in the rut that we got ourselves into.
Great thoughts.
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