Skip to main content

Serve Your Way Out

Are you struggling? Does the world have you down?  Does it seem like it's just not going your way? 

Serve your way out of it.

Have you found yourself in a place where you feel far from God? Does it seem like your prayers aren’t being heard? Does it feel like you are alone?

Serve your way out of it.

Let's face it, life isn't easy. There are times when it seems nothing goes right.  There are times when we just don’t feel good. There are times when it seems like we receive blow after blow and just can’t catch our breath. 

Serve your way out of it.

In times like these it is super easy to hyperfocus on ourselves.  Our problems and our challenges take center stage. We lose the ability to see the big picture. All we can see is our situation and our feelings. 

When we get to these places I suggest we need a perspective shift. We need to shift the focus from us to others. We need to get back to basics.  Jesus tells us to Love God and Love others (Mark 12:30-31). When we are in the dumps, find a perspective shift through love. I understand this can seem impossible when you’re down and feel unloved. Our God is the God of the possible and unending love.

He sees us as great!  In fact Jesus says that the “greatest among us shall be your servant” (Matthew 23:11). Greatness is the opposite of the dark place we can find ourselves in during these tough times.  

Each week at Downtown Ministries we are blessed by homeless people who jump in and help to set up, breakdown, and hand out clothes. The same people I have come to serve realize the value of service.  In their despair and need they can feel the value God places on loving our neighbors.  The greatness in choosing to be a servant. 

So, when it seems bleak and hopeless.  Take charge. Step into God's truth. Serve your way out of it. 

Be blessed and be a blessing,

Matt


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bold Like Stephen

I've always admired people who aren't afraid to be bold in their convictions.  It is the kind of boldness that allows them to stand out in the crowd. There is just something different about how these people view and engage the world around them.  The movie “Hacksaw Ridge” portrays a man that exemplifies what I mean by bold.  He was drafted to serve in World War II but refused to bear arms because of religious reasons. Yet, he still managed to receive the Congressional Medal of honor. Without a weapon in his hand, he saved 75 men in the Battle of Okinawa. Despite his objection to violence, he still served his country. Despite his objection to war he found a way to love his neighbor. He was bold.  When I think of bold in the Bible, I think of Stephen. Acts 6:8 says, "Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people." Stephen faced opposition to his teachings. Those that opposed his teachings couldn't ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Do the Work

Sometimes I sit down to write and it just seems like I am trying to write with a pen without ink. There is simply nothing productive coming from the activity. Other times, God just pours it out on me. The ideas flow and the message comes together with ease. More often than not it's the former rather than the latter. It seems God likes to make us work for it. The ones I have to work a bit harder on become the ones I like the most. I think we appreciate the things we have to work for more than the things that come easy. Our LifeGroup recently read about the Miraculous Catch of Fish. You know the story where Peter and his buddies have been out fishing all night and came back to shore completely empty handed. That next morning, Jesus asks them to take him out in the boat. Once out on the water, He has them put the nets back down and they bring in loads and loads of fish. So many fish that two boats almost sank.  I guess Jesus could have just made the fish jump into th...
Post a Comment
Read more

Anchor House Week 4: Strawberries

This week I had the chance to come through on a promise I made to one of our regular ships. When they were in port last we were hanging out in the break room with the crew. Somehow we got on the subject of strawberries, Florida strawberries of course. I made the bold statement that Florida strawberries were the best. Trish followed up by clarifying that Plant City’s are the best. She had a point that is hard to argue with. In the discussion, I told the seafarer that I would bring them some strawberries next time they were at Port Manatee. Sure enough the next time they were in port I ran to Detweillers, first thing in the morning, and picked up a half of a flat of some of the most beautiful strawberries you've ever seen. They were big, red, perfectly placed in the container in a neat and orderly fashion. They looked magnificent. As we approached the ship, the seafarer whom I had made the promise to waved and said, “You remembered!” After we boarded the ship, we t...
Post a Comment
Read more