Sometimes when we ask God to use us, to work through us to reach others, we don’t realize what we are asking for. We think that it is going to a pleasant and gratifying experience to have God use us as a vessel to reach, help, influence, or speak truth to someone. Far to often it is not the way that we envisioned it to be. How could it not be a good experience when God is working through you to reach others? How could it not be the best opportunity that one could encounter? How could it be stressful, challenging, overwhelming, or possibly one of the most trying or hardest things that we have had to do?
When God uses us to reach others, those other people are usually people that are hurting, angry, depressed, broken, or lost. They come with a tremendous amount of emotional instability, and often, negative energy. They can be some of the most difficult people to deal with and even be around at times. They do and say hurtful things when acting out of their own pain. They are definitely a test of our own stability and love. And they are an opportunity for our own growth while God is working through us. Often times while God is working through us he is also working in us. He is building our endurance, our strength of character, our compassion, patience, love. He may also use the person’s issues to make us realize something about ourselves that we need to work on.
when we ask God to use us we have to be prepared to endure difficulty and unpleasant people. We have to be willing to set aside our personal feelings and to show true love to the person. We have to be committed to let Jesus use us the whole way through. It may be hard, it may be very uncomfortable, but in the end you could actually save someone’s life by allowing Jesus to work through you.
The Abundant Life 
Thanks, Mandie. I hope your friend will be ok. My deep depression is being made altogether worse by the fact that the few friends I can confide in about what I’m doing for God are uninterested and ignoring me completely when I try and talk about it. It’s like people just tune me out completely and don’t want to hear about it. I am overwhelmed as it is and feeling terrible about it all right now. I do read scripture and I’m always focused on God, but right now I’m having a hard time not in a good place. I can’t talk to people about the one thing I want to the most. And it’s really getting to me. I hope you have a Good Christmas, sis. 🙂
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Jayden, I can understand how your feeling right now because I have been threw similiar things. The thing that we are excited about the most, that brings us that feeling of purpose and value, the thing that we feel is such a good thing, and we want to share it with those closest to us but they don’t want to hear it. Every time that you go to talk about it they switch the subject or just tune you out while saying uh-huh as they are listening to you. When I went through that God finally spoke some sense into me and said, “I know that you want the approval from these people but what matters is that I approve of it. Talk to me about it and stop trying to get that “good feeling” from others instead of me. The world isn’t going to be interested in what you are doing for me, They rejected me too.” When he shared that with me it freed me from trying to get the approval of man. I still have times that the enemy tries to attack me in this way but I do not allow myself to fall into the trap. I remind the devil and myself that man may not approve of or like me or what I am doing but God does and that is all that matters. I hope that this may help you some in your troubling time Jayden. Keep your head up and lean on God’s love and approval of you instead of man! Blessings to you brother!!
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Btw, praying for you and I hope you feel better soon, sis. 🙂 HUGS
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I’m sorry, mandie. I just thought maybe you didn’t want to talk to me anymore or email me or anything and were just too nice to say that, Mandie. I am so sorry. I am writing a ton right now but it’s hard for me, too. I guess I just felt like you were ignoring me. I understand and it’s ok. I just don’t want to be a nuisance to people. I’m used to getting by mostly on my own in all of this. You didn’t have to approve my comment, btw. I was surprised to see you’d posted it. 🙂
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Jayden. It is okay. And I was not ignoring you at all. I was trying to show that I was paying attention to your comments by replying short replies to at least have a short response in the few moments of free time that I did have. It has been many things going on and I have been sick on top of it all so that is why there has not even been a post in a few days. The mind can handle but so much at one time and I will not write with a cluttered mind because it will not be as good as it could be when I am unable to focus on just the matter at hand. My mind has been all over the place lol. Blessings to you my friend.
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Thanks, Mandie. I understand. I am so sorry, Sis. I had a rough month. I was experiencing really bad depression. It was kind of scary, really. I know you were replying to me. I just felt alone and like there was no one to talk to. I hope you feel better soon. I am trying to focus on my book myself. I think you posted a new post. I will read it. God bless you, sis. 🙂
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jayden, depression is a horrible thing. I have a friend staying with me that is suicidal and dealing with her is a challenge. I have depression myself but it is not as severe as hers. When I notice that I am getting into a slump I will focus on scripture that tells me how much God loves me and my worth and value in him. I hope that you are doing better my friend.
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These messages used to make me so happy and inspired. Now they just depress me. I feel like I said or did something wrong and aren’t welcome here anymore. Maybe I said something wrong? 😦 Anyways, take care , Mandie. You’re always in my prayers, sis. 🙂
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What is wrong Jayden? I have had a very busy week and been down with sickness so I have not been able to blog and respond as usual. I am behind on so many things and trying to play catch up. I will get back to reg posting within the next few days.
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