You have to be very careful when asking God to break your heart for what breaks His because, when He does, you will never be the same. These past couple of months, I have been grateful for the opportunity to intercede for others. There are many needs around us, and it is a joy and an honor to pray for others. We are so blessed to have a God who listens and responds. Even though God doesn’t always answer our prayers in the ways we would like for Him to, we can still rest in the confidence that He will give us what we need—when we need it.
Compassion is something that I am learning to possess, receive, and give. It involves taking our eyes off of our own problems in order to help meet the needs of those around us. Compassion can be felt while extending a helping hand, listening to others, and helping others to realize that they are not alone.
Lately God has been revealing to me His love for the brokenhearted and lonely; the ones who feel like giving up, the ones who feel isolated, and the ones who feel alone—as if no one cares for them. As I am writing this, I feel very emotional and I feel my heart literally breaking for those who feel that their life doesn’t matter—that they don’t matter.
If that is you, I want to encourage you by reminding you that God had a purpose for your life even before you were born. In this life we will experience disappointments, pain, anxiety, depression, and loss; however, our story does not have to end there. God is always moving and working on ways to rewrite our stories. When Jesus died on the cross for us, our failures, shame, and pain died too. And the Good News is that when Jesus was raised from the dead three days later, we were raised right along with Him.
We do not have to continue to stare at the grave we were once in; we must leave the grave behind us and walk in victory. You are free, victorious, beautiful, and one-of-a-kind. There is no one like you, there will never be anyone like you, and this world needs you. They need your smile, your laugh, your scars, your personality, and everything that makes you... You!
I am also finding that when those feelings of despair and loneliness come, we must reach out to others. As we give of our time, resources, and friendship, God finds ways to heal, restore, and bless us beyond our comprehension. It also helps us to keep our eyes off of our own issues. We are in this together. You will never be alone because we serve a God who promises to be with us until the end of this age. Press on and be a light even when you feel like your light isn’t shining as brightly as you’d wish. You will be surprised how much God can use a person who says, “I am not perfect but I am willing to help other people who are hurting in similar ways I am hurting.”
You are more than a conqueror.
Love,
Nikki
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