Okay, I'm Listening

Anyone else ever impressed by God's timing & His ability to speak clearly to us through other people or events that take place? Maybe impressed isn't so much the word I'm looking for...maybe a better word would be "awed" or "blown away!"

I know God is constantly speaking to us...most times, we're just not listening. Or, we're listening but only for a certain response. If God doesn't speak in the way we think He should, we write it off as God being silent or distant. (side note, sorry!)

Last night I found myself in Goshen, hanging out with my older sister...always a good time! She helps out at Crossroads Community Church in Goshen & on Tuesday nights they have a Bible study called Encounter...for college-age & young adults. I first started going to this last week. Anyway, last night, the topic hit me pretty hard.

As I've mentioned on here before, I've been wrestling through this book called Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne who is part of a community called The Simple Way. Disclaimer: Don't read it if you don't want to change your life, your worldview, your thought process...basically, if you don't want something that's going to shake things up.

So, this book touches on social justice. You know, looking out for the orphaned, the oppressed, the hurting, the needy, the helpless...I think you get the idea. God has continued to burden me with the word uncomfortable. He's continued to challenge me on stepping out & loving and serving others, even when it requires me to step out of my own comfort zone. So, what was last night's topic at the Bible study? Social Injustice...becoming a voice for those who have been silenced, standing in the gap for those who are in need, looking past ourselves & finding ways to love & serve others. Okay God...I'm listening!

I always had in my mind that I needed to go to Africa to aid the hundreds of thousands of orphaned children, or to help educate teens who are in the midst of an AIDs epidemic, or to help feed the thousands dying from hunger daily. I have a passion for Africa...I've been there before...and maybe someday I'll go back. But I'm missing something if I've become convinced that that's where I need to go to solve the problem. What about my own community? What about the people here who are hungry, orphaned, or just misunderstood? I don't have far to look if I want to love and serve those in need, but sometimes I think I make the excuse of "I'll wait until I get to Africa" to avoid the uncomfortableness (new word) of doing it here and now.

So what does this look like for me now? Who knows...when I think about everything I'd love to see changed, it gets to be overwhelming! I don't understand all of it! I don't know where to start, but if I let that keep me from starting somewhere...then I'm just making more excuses.

I've committed to get uncomfortable for God. Am I excited about it? Not really...I'm pretty freaked out. But I know that He hasn't called me to simply sit on the sidelines and wait for someone else to make a move. So...here's to taking the next step...