This current season of joblessness has definitely been a challenge of faith for my husband and I. As I am a stay-at-home mom and we have five children to provide for, the responsibility of providing can seem overwhelming at times. Overwhelmingly, that is, when we are shouldering the responsibility ourselves. God is teaching us the importance of resting in His provision—that He has it all under control.
Even so, I have moments where I lose my God focus and put on my ‘world-filtered’ lenses. Yesterday, I was having one of these moments. I was about to sink into that ‘lie-infested’ pit. Darts were being fired left and right: ‘life is over without a job… we must have done something wrong for things to be this way...things are never going to get better, etc., etc., etc...’ Down, down, the road of discouragement I was going. Spiraling fast, I was. Recognizing the enemy’s attack, I started praying out loud. After several minutes of this, I felt no relief… I frantically pulled out my ‘Streams in a Desert’ devotional, all the while praying, ’Help me, Jesus…’
Right about then someone knocked on my door... It was my sister-in-law with a big smile on her face, just dropping by for no other reason than to visit and bring us some teacakes she had just made. As delicious as the teacakes were—and let me tell you, they were divine—it was really the gift of fellowship I was needing. How like God to show up with this provision right about the time I was about to sink… His timing is perfect.
This whole episode got me thinking… When we are being hit with lies from the enemy, we should always turn to God’s Word and prayer first. Always. It is our best offense. However, sometimes God’s deliverance is going to come through another venue. A phone call. A note. An unexpected visit. It might seem small and even trivial from the giver’s end—but that small, little gesture might be the catalyst God uses to stop some pit dwelling from occurring.
Sometimes God uses the small, ordinary things we do for others to accomplish His extraordinary purposes.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you that You are El Rachum, the God of Compassion. You care about every little detail of our lives, even the emotional crisis we have when our thinking is off. Thank you that You hear us when we cry out to you during these times. Thank you that You bring deliverance in the most unique ways and sometimes in the smallest of things. May I be other-focused this week. Give me opportunities to bless others in small ways. In fact, I pray that You would bring someone to mind right now that I could bless with a little ‘pick-me-up’. Lord, I pray You would be in even the small, seemingly insignificant details of the conference. I pray each woman will be thinking about those who are sitting around her. If someone needs a tissue, one would extend a tissue. If someone needs a pen, one would kindly offer it. A smile, a friendly wave or conversation... Work through these small gestures to bring women to know You. May the believers in the audience, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe themselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Col. 3:12). May these qualities in the believers be so evident that it brings You glory.
Father, use this conference to bring unity among the women of Louisville. Use it to break down barriers in our city: political, social, racial, economical...break them down, Lord. May we bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances we have against one another. May we forgive as You have forgiven us. And most importantly, may we put on love, which binds everything together in perfect unity (Col. 3:13-14).
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
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