x, a
01 While there are missed opportunities in life, there are no missed opportunities in His eyes.
For the past however many months, I've been feeling that somehow I've dropped the ball on things the Father wanted me to do as I learned to deal with some personal issues. I felt discouraged and slightly ashamed that I had been too wrapped up in addressing my own affairs and not loving on the people around me. But He's been steadily reminding me that there is not a single missed opportunity + throughout the past month, He's been opening up the doors to engage with those He's wanted me to reach out to.
Whoever you are, wherever you are, if you feel the same way, just know it's not too late. God's timing is perfect despite our slip-ups and mishaps.
02 Redeem the time you have for Him because there is no one else in the world that can give the same kind of contribution you can to His kingdom.
Time is precious. I'm sure you realize this on small and large scale agendas in your life--whether it be trying to cram as much studying into your mind for finals or just realizing that you're about to embark on a potentially crazy adventure better known as adulthood.
Real talk. As a single woman who longs to be married and start a family one day, I realize just how much potential and flexibility I have as an unattached person (especially in this season of life) that enables me to do things a dating or married woman can't. What does that mean and what does that have to do with redeeming the time? If I'm single, then I'm going to do everything I can as a single woman to serve Him instead of allowing my desire of wanting to be in a relationship to consume my thoughts and time. You follow?
Will I be married one day? Dunno, but if marriage is another beautiful way meant to magnify Him, then that means it'll happen when God decides that His glory is best displayed when I tag-team with my future husband, whoever that may be. In the meantime, if single is where He has me now, then that is His plan A for me at the moment.
You may be wondering, "Girl, I'm single. How do I make the most use of my time?" For me personally, He's been placing very specific girlfriends in my life to pursue and invest in as well as giving my 110% into whatever ministries/fellowships I'm currently involved in.
Please for the love of all friendships, I'm not saying one status is better over the other. Again, whoever you are, wherever you are, redeem the time.
03 The goat is already ours, so ask.
Huh? What does that mean?
In the parable of the prodigal son, the youngest squanders all he has, realizes he is a hot mess, and comes back in full humility at his Father's feet. The Father is so delighted at his return, he throws him a celebration. The oldest son isn't having it and throws a temper tantrum at the Father. But the Father replies that everything He had already belonged to the oldest son's. The goat was already his. He just had to ask.
He just had to ask. Practically speaking, what does that mean? It means, for example, if you think you're lacking in love or compassion, then ask Him to pour into you those very things. Our Father loves it when you ask! I opened my Bible to Luke the other day and my eyes fell on the parable of the persistent widow and the opening lines of that chapter read:
"Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up."
Oof. Jesus had to tell a story to drive His point home. ASK and be persistent! Our Father delights in giving good gifts (Matt.7:11)! And we have the promise(s) that He will give us wisdom if we ask (James 1:5-6) and that when we seek, we will find (Matt. 7:7). So ask + petition for the things you are lacking. If you are a child of the Father, these things are already yours!
Note: Know that as you continue to seek Him in all your endeavors, you will be so secure and rooted in Him that when you go out into this world, you are full, not empty. And when you are full and secure in the Father, you are able to look around you and freely pursue the hurt, the lost, the rejected.
04 Be faithful in small things.
Commit wholeheartedly. Small things differ from person to person. For me, it means if you're serving to some capacity, keep serving even when nobody sees 90% of the hard work because it's all behind the scenes. Maybe you're the leader so everything you do is on display. Or maybe you're not, and you clean up and run the bulk of logistical things that are hidden. Doesn't matter. Be faithful.
Being faithful means that even if you aren't serving, show up to fellowship each week if you've committed. Being faithful means if the Lord has put it on your heart to reach out to somebody you hardly know, you take the initiative in grabbing a meal with said individual and then following up with he/she consistently. (Key word: consistently).
Again, small things differ with each person. Heck maybe to you, small means just simply means showing up to your classes because you're a full-time student and that's just your responsibility to take in the things you're learning. If that's the case, then commit to showing up to class.
I apologize if all these four things were rather scattered. But these are little themes that God has just been pressing heavily on my heart over the past 2-3 months and last week, somehow, they kept popping up in conversations I had with various individuals.
Hoping it blessed you in some way or another. Always up for a chat if you have any burning questions or comments.
No comments:
Post a Comment