Are you reaching out?
To family…friends…those who are hurting? Sometimes people just need a hug. Words don’t have to be said. You just need to open your arms and let them in.
Life is busy, and there are so many demands on us, that it’s easy to just focus on the here and now. Oh, the opportunities we can be missing to be an extension of comfort or help to someone by life’s interruptions.
Interruptions do just that, they interrupt. Your day, your plans, your endless “to do list”.
No one likes their carefully planned out day to be interrupted though. Your plans are important you tell yourself. You will feel like its a good day if you can cross some things off the list.
How can you change your mindset and see interruptions as opportunities to reach out?
Ask God to take control of your day. Ask to be used in a way that you could bless someone just by being there and reaching out to them. It’s not an easy thing to pray because God will answer this for you! You’re going to have your carefully laid out day changed and go in a different direction. Is it easy to ask that? Nope! Will it be worth it? Beyond your imagination!
This could come in many different ways. It could be someone at work or in your family or a friend who has an immediate need and you can be the one to fill it. It may be something they need physically, or it could be someone needs your time. Maybe someone just needs a listening ear. I find that is the case a lot of the time.
How do you feel when someone needs your time? Especially when it wasn’t planned for? This can be a hard one! I always have an agenda. I want to get my list accomplished! It feels good to get things done! I have learned though as I get older to hold lists and plans lightly. To not let those things become so important that my ears become dulled and my eyes lose sight of what is more important….people. That’s what matters to God….His people.
How can you reach out more?
Listen and watch. When you refocus your ears and eyes to what’s going on around you, it won’t take long to see there are so many needs. Do you see someone on a street corner with a sign out of work? Don’t let your mind try and rationalize it, and determine if the need is really there. Just give what you can, say a word of encouragement to them and offer up a prayer on their behalf. That’s all that God is asking. Reach out.
Volunteer. This has been such a blessing in my own life. There are so many ways to give of your time. Feed the hungry, offer to watch a friends child so she can have a little time to breathe and de-stress, etc. Don’t know where to start? Ask God to put on your heart where he wants to use you. It may be something you haven’t even thought about before. Or it may be on your “someday” list. Make today the day. God knows where you will have an impact. He knows what will fill your heart and how you can be instrumental in His plans for you.
Give a hug. Sometimes that’s all that’s needed. Not a lot of words. Just open arms to let someone be held and say to them, “It’s going to be ok”, I’m here for you.” We need it, and others do too.
Our arms are for holding, for loving, for caring and serving. Let your life be interrupted, so you can reach out to those around you, or who come across your path. Your life and heart will be changed because of it.
Proverbs 31:20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy
With open arms,
~pat
