A friend and I struggled with how to encourage a mutual friend as she nursed her husband through the final stages of cancer. Since it was early December, she suggested that we recruit a group of women to take turns visiting this lady throughout the days before Christmas, offer meaningful gifts of blessings, and pray for her and her husband’s strength and grace during such a difficult time. None of us could have managed this alone, but together we made a huge difference in one couple’s world that was going through a life-altering circumstance.
As I reflected on this again not long ago, this verse in Hebrews came to mind. Together, my friend and I had been considering what we could do and God, in his infinite goodness, showed us how we could make a difference.
A wise man once said that if you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time. On our own, it is easy to get overwhelmed by the needs of those around us and become immobilized. But this verse reminds us that we need to be intentional about how we live our lives. “Let us consider…” implies that we need to think about it, pray about it and ask God to show us how we can encourage one another “…to love and good deeds”.
Aiming at nothing ensures that nothing will happen. But as we invite God into the process and live our lives with intentionality, we will see that he is already at work and we get to be part of what he is doing.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank you that I can be someone who lives my life with intentionality, making a difference in the lives of the people you place around me. Help me today to consider how to do be a difference-maker. Show me where you are at work so that I can join you there. Amen.
Go Deeper — Where can you make a difference today? Consider how you can spur someone else on and then plan to do it this week.
Photo Credit: Robert Baker