Tag Archives: encouragement

Include

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Include people in your conversations. People who you wouldn’t normally include.
Include people in your walk with Christ.
Include people in your dreams.
Include people in your life mission.
Expand your circle.

If it’s hard for you, pray for a compassionate heart. It will change your life as it has changed mine.

I know I have a compassionate heart because now, instead of judging the sinful condition of others, I feel sadness and a desire to encourage them to seek God and His ways. Before, my mind would go immediately into judging mode. Now, it goes into compassion mode.

Compassion: A feeling of sympathy for someone in a bad situation because you understand and care about them.

Through my Chaplain job, God is growing me at a fast pace. My heart is continuously being transformed into a kind of compassion I never felt before. It’s sometimes painful because He’s confronting my judgmental nature (that can hide behind righteous anger). I’m open to His correction and He’s teaching me.

One thing that makes me grumpy (among many other things 🤦🏻‍♀️) is when I feel people are excluding others. Especially those who are not in their circle. And worse when it’s those in the Christian family. But hey! Not everyone is like me. The only thing left for me to do is to pray for inclusion and to let God work in their heart and fill them with compassion for other people. And bring awareness, like what I’m doing now.

*Feeling and showing compassion for others is not condoning sin but being able to encourage someone to allow God to transform them into His likeness. Through our compassion, we are sharing God’s love with others. That’s one of our responsibilities, being the hands and feet of Jesus. What did He do with sinners? Show compassion.

Let’s follow His example!

Using “But” in Our Prayers

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“God, _____ , BUT _____ .” Do you find yourself using the word “but” in your prayers? At least I do. And if you do as well, you’re in good company. 😉

This morning, while praying, I asked for grace, but for a specific type of grace. Immediately after, I felt a nudge in my heart, and I stood corrected. I changed it to, “Forgive me, God, instead of BUT I ask You for Your will to be done.”

My prayer was, “God, give me grace, BUT …”

Who am I to ask God to give me something, but in a way that would please or benefit me and not Him? Who am I? A servant of God who asks Him to do His will in my life and allow me to use the spiritual gifts He gave me to advance His Kingdom. But then I ask Him to do it my way instead of His’? Unbelievable, Dee. 😕

Nevertheless, in situations like those and in moments of poor prayers like the one I prayed for, the extraordinary Holy Spirit activates in us and reminds us what we should pray for. Are we listening so we can stand corrected immediately after? I was. I hope you are too.

I love what Jesus said in John 14:26, “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you.”

Let me go into nerd mode for a moment. 🤓 I love how some translations use the word advocate. Do you know what it means? I am glad you asked. The Greek word is paraklētos, and per the Thayer’s Greek Lexicon, it means, in the broadest sense, a helper, succourer, aider, or assistant. 

This is what the Holy Spirit did for me in that prayer and continuously does for us, the believers:

  • He brought to my attention the portion of the Lord’s prayer—the model prayer He taught to His disciples—that reads, “Your will be done.” I must always pray for His will to be done. Not mine. 
  • As our advocate, He leads us to a more profound knowledge of the gospel truth and gives us the divine strength to do the work He has called us to do on behalf of His Kingdom.

If He opened a door, He will provide the divine strength. The only thing I need to do is to deeper my relationship with Him and remain in communion with Him. Then, He will do as He pleases. For His glory and His glory only. I am His hands and feet on the earth.

The same applies to you. Let us remember, we have been DEPLOYED!

Remain steadfast in the faith my friends, brothers and sisters in Christ. The work may be frustrating, tiring, and sometimes disappointing, but OH, the rewards are ETERNAL! Good needs us! Let’s get our armor straight and keep moving! God goes before US!!!

Who says “yes”?