By Megan Blansit
Founder of The Beautiful Movement - a youth ministry for high school girls. For more information, visit The Beautiful Movement’s Facebook page, where I post the time, place, and activity for each month
I think sometimes as Christians we are guilty of only making our requests known to God and then being done with our communication (or prayer) until the next time we “need something.” BUT, I wonder if we are missing out on hearing God speak? Perhaps God would like to say “Hello” from the other side (Adele pun intended.) Are our schedules too chaotic to see the flip side of the coin (that we are called to be the hands and feet of Christ)?
As I was getting ready one morning, my dog (Bella) kept trying to distract me by jumping around, barking, and even doing a tiny growl. I would show her a little attention by talking back and even bending down to pet her, but that wasn’t sufficient enough that morning. Finally, I ask her what’s wrong (call me bias but she is the smartest dog and can communicate proficiently) and she immediately runs from the room we were in, to the living room…so I follow. Once I get in the living room she starts spinning in circles and getting very excited, then she runs into my bathroom. After I get into the bathroom she jumps in the bathtub- which means she wants fresh, cold water (poor thing.) Side note- I do not starve or thirst my dog. Bella is a slight diva; she would be the girl at the restaurant who orders Voss water.
By her doing this simple act of trying to get my attention, it made me ask myself, “How many times has God tried to get my attention to do something for him and I have failed to listen?” Maybe you could ask yourself the same question? …Are our ears attentive to the Holy Spirit like they should be? Who’s day would be better if we allowed God to use us?
I feel like many of us, myself included, would love to go overseas on a mission trip. Loving on babies, sharing Christ, etc sounds like it would bring warm fuzzies, right? I once heard a pastor say that he would never financially support a church member on a mission trip if they weren’t doing some type of mission/volunteer work in the community that they live in. WOW. That’s intense, yet I completely see where he is coming from. Friend, you don’t have to go on some huge, elaborate mission trip in order to be used by God. Maybe walking an elderly ladies buggy back into the grocery store could be just as big of a blessing. Perhaps paying for someone’s food in a drive thru could be the biggest blessing that person has received in months. Please, don’t discount small acts of kindness. Also, please do no think I am against mission trips, because I think they are absolutely wonderful! I just don’t want us (as Christians) to miss out on the mission field that we are planted in daily.
In closing, I pray that everyone reading this would be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s voice this week. I pray that the Lord uses you in mighty ways to bless others. Maybe you’re reading this and think, “Well Megan, I need someone to bless me!!” Friend, you will be surprised at the blessing that will come when you bless others. Want those warm fuzzy feelings? Be a blessing. As always, thank you for reading. See you next week!
Originally published in Vol. 2, No. 2, on January 8th
