Making your life COUNT

Enjoying God everyday and living out the joy HE has placed in our hearts is never more evident to the world around us than when we pour our lives into the lives of others. Time spent in God's word and prayer will not stay stagnat in our hearts but will fill our hearts and overflow into the lives of others. A dry heart has nothing to give. But a heart refreshed by God's word always has something to share.

Dr. Charles Stanley writes about this in his May 2010 Pastor's Heart letter. He says,"..you can make an extraordinary difference right where you are. You don’t need special training to serve God—you can have a tremendous influence on others just by how you live in obedience to Him. You have an opportunity to share the powerful principles the Lord has used to strengthen your walk with Him. God simply wants you to allow the Holy Spirit to work through you, showing His unconditional love to those you know."

We walk away from experiencing God's joy when we let sin rule our hearts. The greatest barrier to making a difference in the lives of others is ourself! Our sin. Our selfish desires. Our greatest purpose in life is to be the vessel God can use to draw others to himself. When we say,"I don't know what to say" or "I don't have any gift God can use" we cut ourselves off from experiencing God's great purpose.

God will draw men to Himself. Jesus said "And I, if and when I am lifted up from the earth [on the cross], will draw and attract all men [Gentiles as well as Jews] to Myself." John 12:32 Amplified Bible (AMP)

Placing the focus on your inabilities and insecurities and away from God only steals the joy of being able to be a part of God's work and see Him work in the lives of others. So you say, "where do I begin?" Here's some questions you can ask yourself daily to help you become sensitive to becoming a vessel God can use.

1. Who can I encourage today using God's word? My Husband, child, parents, friend, fellow church member, a person in need, someone in passing? My boss, a co-worker...
2. How can my attitude reflect God's character? Humility, loving, compassionate, slow to anger, ready to listen, consistent..
3. Am I really listening for opportunities to share God's truth to others?

Let's stay faithful and experience great joy by being about God's business. I hope you are encouraged today! Tell me how asking these questions has helped you become more mindful of being about God's purpose.