Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing. I Thessalonians 5:11
Be hospitable to one another without complaint. I Peter 4:9
Questions heavy on my heart for the past few months.
Are we as the body of Christ there for other believers in times of need?
We are there if there is a death, illness, or birth of a new baby. What about in two weeks, two months, two years? Are we still there for them? What about other struggles fellow Christians are experiencing? (relationships, finances, addictions, physical conditions, emotional struggles) A smile may be on a face when entering the church building but deep down there is hurt, pain, and suffering. We can’t fix their problems or hurts but we can be there. Are we there for them?
Are we informing others so they can be there for us?
To do this means to make ourselves vulnerable. Vulnerability means I can get hurt or rejected. Are we afraid to allow others to see the pain inside? Are we too proud to allow others to see who we really are? What if they don’t like what they see? Will they reject us?
This past week these questions raced through my head. I am doing a Bible study by Jennifer Rothschild, blind as a teenager due to an eye disease. Jennifer wrote, “Sometimes I feel that blindness is a burden not to be shared.” Do we see what we are experiencing as a burden not to be shared? I can handle it. It is my problem. I don’t need anyone’s help. No one cares.
In Jennifer’s study this week, she said, “We all find ourselves in situations where we feel isolated from others because we think they cannot truly understand our circumstances. As a result, a feeling of loneliness descends.” Do we not understand because we don’t know how to relate? Are our lives so busy with stuff that we don’t have time to invest in others so we can better understand? Are we selfish to not want to give up our time? After all we have problems too. Is it too complicated and requires us to make ourselves vulnerable as well?
All this has caused me to question do I get so caught up in my own life that I neglect to encourage and build up other believers? The answer, YES I do! This semester I have been challenging my students to ask God to show them ways they can be a blessing to someone, to meet a need in another person’s life, and to take advantage of the opportunities provided. I was applying it to my life, so I thought. I realize I was applying it as it was convenient for me.
I am yielding to the Father, stopping to listen and watching for God to give me opportunities. I have made a few more phones calls and emails to people I know who are going through painful times. (This encouraged me to see how God is working in their lives.) I gave an extremely stressed student a shoulder massage. (The blessing was mine as I saw the surprise on her face that I would take the time to do this for her.) I baked as a way to say I was thinking about you. (This blesses me because baking is something I enjoy.)
Are we as the body of Christ there for other believers in times of need?
We are there if there is a death, illness, or birth of a new baby. What about in two weeks, two months, two years? Are we still there for them? What about other struggles fellow Christians are experiencing? (relationships, finances, addictions, physical conditions, emotional struggles) A smile may be on a face when entering the church building but deep down there is hurt, pain, and suffering. We can’t fix their problems or hurts but we can be there. Are we there for them?
Are we informing others so they can be there for us?
To do this means to make ourselves vulnerable. Vulnerability means I can get hurt or rejected. Are we afraid to allow others to see the pain inside? Are we too proud to allow others to see who we really are? What if they don’t like what they see? Will they reject us?
This past week these questions raced through my head. I am doing a Bible study by Jennifer Rothschild, blind as a teenager due to an eye disease. Jennifer wrote, “Sometimes I feel that blindness is a burden not to be shared.” Do we see what we are experiencing as a burden not to be shared? I can handle it. It is my problem. I don’t need anyone’s help. No one cares.
In Jennifer’s study this week, she said, “We all find ourselves in situations where we feel isolated from others because we think they cannot truly understand our circumstances. As a result, a feeling of loneliness descends.” Do we not understand because we don’t know how to relate? Are our lives so busy with stuff that we don’t have time to invest in others so we can better understand? Are we selfish to not want to give up our time? After all we have problems too. Is it too complicated and requires us to make ourselves vulnerable as well?
All this has caused me to question do I get so caught up in my own life that I neglect to encourage and build up other believers? The answer, YES I do! This semester I have been challenging my students to ask God to show them ways they can be a blessing to someone, to meet a need in another person’s life, and to take advantage of the opportunities provided. I was applying it to my life, so I thought. I realize I was applying it as it was convenient for me.
I am yielding to the Father, stopping to listen and watching for God to give me opportunities. I have made a few more phones calls and emails to people I know who are going through painful times. (This encouraged me to see how God is working in their lives.) I gave an extremely stressed student a shoulder massage. (The blessing was mine as I saw the surprise on her face that I would take the time to do this for her.) I baked as a way to say I was thinking about you. (This blesses me because baking is something I enjoy.)
I know that when I take the time for others God honors it. The most amazing thing is I get blessed in the process. What is God asking of you to encourage one another? “Use your freedom to serve one another in love.” Galatians 5:13
1 comment:
This is so encouraging to me. While I know this Truth, I fail so many times. Thank you for giving me motivation to be better!
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