So for the last year or two, God has really put a lot of things on my heart. Some of them have been about reaching out to youth/young adults in difficult situations, and showing them Christ's love. I'm a very analytical person, which sometimes leads to me being judgmental, or being quick to draw conclusions without all the facts. Many times, after arriving to the wrong conclusion about somebody, I've been given the chance to get to know them better and realize the conclusions I'd jumped to were wrong or seriously unfair. I'm grateful for these opportunities to remind myself "Judge ye not lest ye be judged", and as a result I have found myself wanting to minister to groups of people that I feel often get judged, generalized, and looked down upon. The cool thing is that a lot of the people around me have been feeling the same way, and have done things about it. I love that.
See, while I really want to make a difference in others' lives, sometimes I'm not quite sure how to go about it. What is awesome is that lately I've taken notice that when God has been stirring something in my heart, he's been doing the same with the people around me. And some of these people have the experience, creativity or means to get involved or make a difference, which are things that I don't possess in relation to the situation. It's an awesome feeling when you can get together with a friend, and together accomplish something good.
I'm not as bold as I'd like to be. I can be very self-conscious, and sometimes I am afraid of taking initiative with certain things for fear of public failure. I generally like to keep my failures to myself. I'm starting to realize that when I'm not successful, I need to learn from the situation rather than quit or beat myself up about it. And I need to resist the fear of trying again, because the only way I'll have any measure of success is by perseverance. But God, in His wisdom, has been gracious enough to surround me with friends that share my interests and concerns. He's given me a group of people that I can minister alongside, so that when one of us feels weak the others can hold them up with our strengths. There is less fear in something when you have someone beside you who is cheering for you to succeed, and who is experiencing the same things you are. I'm excited for the things to come, as I'll be able to grow in some of my abilities and put my giftings to good use.
If anyone is reading this, I just want to encourage you to really share the things you feel God placing in your heart, and the dreams and goals you have. It's very likely that you'll encounter people that share your passions and as a result get opportunities to do great things. God gives us friends not just to make us feel good, but to make up for the things we lack and to support us in our endeavours.
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