January 11: A Listening Ear

Yesterday I had the chance to serve others through manual labor. I worked hard to give to others. Today was quite different. I did nothing more than sit all day, but I feel as though I gave just as much, if not more.

I drove across town to meet a friend for lunch. We had a nice time catching up as it had been months since we last spent quality time together outside of just passing or chatting briefly at church. She is going through some hard times as her son is really ill. I was happy to listen to her and I tried to encourage her the best I could. I will be praying for her and her son in the coming days, weeks, and months and I know they have a hard road ahead of them.

After lunch, I drove across town again to meet someone else for coffee. I did not really know this person very well, but I felt led by God to call her up and try to establish a relationship with her. Boy am I glad I did! She too is going through some really hard things and I was happy to listen to her. Again, I tried to encourage her and I will be keeping her in my prayers as well. It is amazing how we can go through something so hard but then see how the Lord can use it for good and for His glory. Within less than 24 hours, I was able to share a very painful piece of my past to help people. I literally saw beauty from ashes. My pain was not wasted, but rather used to glorify God and reflect His goodness!

Sometimes, all we need is someone to stop what they are doing, give us their undivided attention and show us that someone in the world really cares about us and what we are going through. Sometimes, it is nice to love waiting instead of judgment. Sometimes, we need to be reminded of our worth and how much God loves us. Sometimes, we need to borrow someone else's faith as we feel like we are running on fumes. I know I need these things, and today it was great to be the giver. I had spent a lot of time in the morning reading my Bible and preparing for what the day would bring. I asked the Lord to use to me to show love to others. By listening and genuinely caring for others, I feel as though I was able to be obedient.

I knew I would be putting on some miles, so I put the leftover sandwiches in my car. I was hoping to see people to give them to but I did not see a single homeless person. I was saddened by the fact that I was not able to give the food to anyone, and because I was reminded of how cold it was and how much some people were suffering as a result. I am still very aware of the homeless and needy. On the cold nights, I say an extra prayer that God will protect and provide for those who need it most.