Blog by my daughter Chelsey Jones (age 18 going to James River Leadership College)
These past few weeks there has been a heavy weight on my heart. I have quieted my soul before the Lord and truly asked myself this question: What is it that my heart breaks for? Does it break for my own selfish desires, or for the things that break the heart of God?
We are all guilty of getting wrapped up in our selfish desires. For me, I become so consumed with my life and my struggles that I lose sight of what it is that God has called us to do.
He has called us to be His arms and feet extended to a lost and broken world. He has called us to seek and save that which is lost (Luke 19:10).
This next phrase may come across as harsh, but I am finding it to be true–Life is bigger than you. Sounds cliché, but do you truly believe it? When all is said and done, and life throws you a curve ball and you feel like giving up, do you really believe that life is not about you?
I understand that there are seasons to deal with your baggage. I understand that there is a proper time to face yourself. In fact, I think until you face yourself you will never be able to do what God has called you to do. But, I do not believe that God would call you to a lifetime of sitting in your sin.
There are bigger issues, problems, tragedies and heartaches occurring everyday. While your problems may be the end of your world, they are not the end of the world.
Here is the brutal truth–people are dying. People are hurting. People are waiting for someone to genuinely care. We cross paths with people everyday who need to hear the name of Jesus. Whether it’s in your workplace, school, or grocery shopping; we are called to bring people to the heart of our savior.
This burden is becoming very real to me. It is my prayer that everyone who claims to be a Christ follower would truly not make it about themselves. God did not create you so you can mope around in your emotions. He did not create you to sit on the side lines and watch someone else fulfill your calling.
He created you for such a time as this (Esther 4:14). God positioned you on this earth, in this generation, to be a part of a people who are carriers of His presence. To show a desperately broken world that our God is love (1 John 4:8).
God’s heart is for the broken and the hurting. It is for the widows and the orphans (James 1:27). It is for those who are weary and crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18).
Get alone with God. Pursue a deeper relationship with Him and don’t stop until He reveals Himself to you. Ask Him to expose your flesh and examine your heart (Psalm 26:2).
Take time to truly ask yourself this question: What does your heart break for?
Very good. It’s been on my heart as well. Although my own heart is broken from a failed relationship, my heart is broken more for the other half of this relationship.. Why? because he doesn’t know God.
My prayers are for those who are lost, who without God, have no hope in anything. And without us to pray for them, to speak into their lives either by our words, or by how we live our lives thru Jesus IN us, how will they find their way to God?
So although “my” struggles are hard, and hurt…I know with all my faith that God has already figured them out for me. He just wants me to trust Him, and reach my heart and prayers out to those without Him…where His heart is also breaking.
Glad to know God is speaking this very thing to others. The power of prayer, right?
It is so interesting how the Holy Spirit works! I have been thinking about what all people really need about the same time you wrote this message. And God showed me a quick but clear example. One of my coworkers stopped replying to my work-related requests and I did not know why (maybe she was going through a hard time, I do not know). I was not sure what should be done to claim this life experience for God’s glory but I prayed about it. One day I saw on my working calendar that it was the Administrative Professionals day and I sent her a quick email with just a couple words (Congratulations!!! This is your day:)!!! Enjoy it!). She replied right away and stopped by my cube within 5 minutes smiling. I was so happy to see her happy and I learned my lesson: when people see that you truly care about them (I had now benefit from emailing her; I just wanted to make her day a little brighter), they open their hearts to enjoy the love of God that is poring through you. Simple things like this bring glory to our awesome God because they win souls.
Unfortunately, even I, who have been going to church for the last 12 years, cannot stand Christians who try to take advantage of you and care only for “what works for them”. It is SO boring. If I can feel it, people who do not know Christ feel it as well and definitely do not want to be a part of “this kind of Christianity”. Thank you so much for writing about it!