I have always heard my Mother say this and as I have grown older and hopefully a little wiser into my *cough* 40's, I have adopted the same philosophy. God will help those who help themselves. I get so annoyed with people, and I know I shouldn't, when I hear them talk about their troubles and I don't see them doing an single thing to get up, and do SOMETHING to help themselves. I'm not saying God can't work a miracle in an instant to provide for a need. I am just saying that sometimes we need to take some steps toward what God wants us to do to achieve what we need. He will meet us somewhere along the line to provide for us. Anyway, I digress, but enjoy this word for the day. :)
As Joyce writes, we need to be encouraged to help others. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to minister to some of these young girls here. I have known that even though some of what I've been through is painful and embarrassing. It would come to be used for good at some point in my life! :) Thank you Lord for our trials!
Joyce Meyer: Promises for Your Everyday Life - a Daily Devotional
2 Corinthians 8:5 This was totally spontaneous, entirely their own idea, and caught us completely off guard. What explains it was that they had first given themselves unreservedly to God and to us. The other giving simply flowed out of the purposes of God working in their lives.
God Works Through People
One morning I was having my quiet time alone with God, and I said to the Lord, "God, how can You stand seeing all the pain, starving children, human trafficking, genocide, injustice, degradation, poverty, in the world and not do something?"
I didn't say it as a complaint or because I was questioning His integrity, and I don't even know that I was really expecting to get an answer, but I just asked Him. Immediately His answer came back: "I work through people. I'm waiting for My people to arise and do something."
You and I are part of an army, the body of Christ, and it's going to take everyone doing their part to change this world. God wants to work through us, and He's calling us to put on love and get to work.
In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul talked about how the churches in Macedonia gave, saying, "But first they gave themselves to the Lord and to us [as His agents] by the will of God [entirely disregarding their personal interests, they gave as much as they possibly could, having put themselves at our disposal to be directed by the will of God]."
That just amazes me, because they didn't just give their money, they gave themselves. God's calling us to live the same way. And one person working for the Lord has the ability to make a profound difference! So how will you give yourself to the Lord and be His agent today?
Prayer Starter: God, I invite You to work through me. I choose to lay down selfishness and pick up love so that I can be used by You to change the world.
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