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“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.” –Chuck Swindoll
A child once asked “What does God do all day?” Good question; one that I can’t answer because I have no idea how God spends His day or even if a day has any meaning to God. Psalm 90:4 (GNT) says, “A thousand years to you are like one day; they are like yesterday, already gone, like a short hour in the night.” But let me ask that same question from a different perspective. How much time does God spend each day helping us fulfill the purpose He has for our lives? For some of us, God wouldn’t be spending much time, because we are not spending much time doing what God wants us to do.
Typically, we want to get to the purpose God has for our lives, but we don’t like God’s way of taking us there. We want to be in God’s will, but not always what God wants us to do. We know God has a greater purpose than just making us happy. He has a different plan and purpose for each of us, but I think it is safe to say that the common denominator is He wants to work in us, through us and all around us to impact the lives of people with the love and truth of Jesus Christ. We have been called by God to take the initiative, to do something, to make a difference in the world.
But impacting the world seems like a monumental task. What can we do to reach the thousands upon thousands in Panama City let alone Florida, the United Sates and the world? The reality is it is humanly impossible to reach them all, but we can partner with God to make a difference in some of their lives. It may seem limited, but when coupled with God, the possibilities are unlimited. We need to pour our time and energy into the possible by doing what God asks us to do: to serve where God has asked me to serve; to give where God has asked me to give and to go where God asks me to go and leave the results to Him. Ephesians 2:10 reminds us that “… we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
Sometimes we do things somewhat backwards. In the Christian world, doing big events to reach people is vogue and makes headlines. But as individuals we can make a difference by loving one friend. Then another. Before you try to feed all the homeless people in your city, why not start by feeding one? Start small and let God produce the big results.
Discussion Questions:
- How are you making a difference in your community?
- What can we do this week to make a difference in one person’s life?