Living

So there are times in life where if someone ask you, ”How is everything?” you can say that all is going well and everyone is doing fine. Other times, you pause and think “Do I tell the truth or just say things are fine?” This is one of those times for me. While my girls Jamie and I are doing well many of our family and friends are going through some hard times right now. There is a close family member that feels like he has lost everything and truly could have lost his life this weekend in a car accident, my aunt has severe blood clots and a possible malignant tumor, my uncle was just told he has less than a year to live b/c of cirrhosis of the liver.

Although the physical concerns are huge in these situations, there is also the spiritual reality. Do they have a relationship with Jesus? The urgency comes on to talk to them and ask them, but that might be uncomfortable. Right? Been there? I don’t want to end up at their funeral thinking there was more I could have done or at least made myself available for so that they could have had a fuller life with Jesus. How do we love them through these tough times and be willing and intentional about expressing what real love is? Then thoughts of have they ever experienced the fullness of a living in a relationship with Jesus and knowing the unexplainable love of our Father? Although those are good thoughts that should propel our actions, that might not be where they are. Not to say, God won’t get them there. I think this is where we as Christians should follow Christ’s footsteps and meet people where their need is. I believe this is how people knew there was something different about Jesus. The truth was never without love. Letting others know they are loved right where they are. Not in a sugar-coated way, but being willing to say “yes, this will suck to get out of this, but God can be with you and give you His supernatural strength, joy and perseverance. I honestly believe that to see someone come to the point where they are full of God’s presence is the best highlight of this life here on earth.
This is also why I feel like if you are a Christian, you are a missionary. There is so much hurting and suffering and people need others, who are not swirling in the chaos that life can throw out, to be their safe place to vent and sort through the emotion so that they can hear God speak more clearly. The hard part is being intentional about making time to be that for the people in our life, whether it is a family member or someone we just met. That is what the body of Christ is all about. So how do we keep from getting overloaded? I mean, there is way more hurt that one person can handle, right? Personally, I haven’t a clue, but I do know I have to be willing to let God guide me and not hold back out of fear. We’ll never know what could have been if we never step out in faith to what God is putting before us.