There are many ways that we can be prepared to fight a spiritual battle. Scripture reading, prayer, dwelling on our blessings...but another thing that helps when engaging in spiritual battle is MINISTRY.
As a Mom, I have been told that my most important ministry is taking care of my children and teaching them about the Lord, and I couldn't agree more; however, it doesn't mean that this is my ONLY ministry. I am struggling as a stay-at-home mom to find my other ministries. I can't very well lug three kids under five to a homeless shelter or a rehab facility or a prison cell... so I am trying to explore what I can do from right here where I am currently ministering.
I have started praying that God would give me different ideas that would allow me to share his light with others. The first tidbit that I got was pretty simple.
lol
LOL normally means "laugh at loud" and although "lol"ling will definitely improve your joy level, it's not what I am dancing on today.
Allow me to introduce LOL: Little Old Ladies.
Take a moment to LOL about my LOL, and let me explain.
You may be different than me, but have you ever evaluated the people that are on your Facebook page. Past all of the high school pals, college friends, work acquaintances, and people you keep around just to be nosey are the ladies who blow up your facebook feed with GIFs of roses, "Happy Birthdays" that look like they came straight off of a 1950s greeting card, and reposts of "If you don't repost this, Facebook will start charging you..." These women on my page are awesome women of God who use Facebook to show off how much they have learned about new technology. I mean none of this with disrespect. These ladies are amazing, and I simply mention them here because they may have something in common with me. They, too, struggle with loneliness. The loneliness they feel may be entirely opposite of what I am feeling. They may have experienced loss, abandonment, lack of mobility like they had back in their prime, and they are in need of a pick-me-up.
The verse comes to mind (even though this description may not define the person with whom you make contact):
James 1:27 “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”
I earlier spoke about how that we cannot be prepared for battle if we are not involved in ministry. We will never be happy if we are not trying to engage in all that God needs us to do. LOLs are a good place to start that is small and simple. Let's look at some ways to engage in this special group of friends.
1) Facebook: send a message, write on their walls, and for heaven's sake, don't forget to notice their birthday
2) Snail Mail: you can find almost anybody's address online, and if not, just ask for their address. How much joy they will have to find a mailbox adorned with a pink envelope and a sticker that you and your kids crafted and mailed. Don't over think the message or try to offer great wisdom... "I'm thinking of you" will work wonders.
3) Pray: Maybe you don't want to engage in conversation with someone fearing that they might expect you to have a full conversation. If conversation with an LOL scares you, have a conversation with God. You might be the only person to pray for her today, and I can bet that she has probably prayed for you and you never even knew it.
4) Visit: If you need a break out of the house, leave the kids with Dad and head on out to share a few minutes with someone else. Bring coffee, tea, cookies, apples, whatever!
It is a possibility that these women are not lonely at all. You are not wasting your time on an effort to contact them. The benefit of spending time on these great people is that you will probably gain much more than you ever dreamed. Experience breeds wisdom, so there is much that you can learn from an old mom, old wife, old friend. Soak up their advice.
Of course, not every encounter will be full of sunshine and perfection. Sometimes you will get unwanted advice or a snub by someone who might not be feeling a visit today. The enemy is going to bring all of these thoughts to your mind before you even begin, so prepare for battle and don't let him talk you out of it!
LOLs are certainly not the only ministry you can find in which to engage, but it's a starting point. Ask God to give you ideas on how to serve. He'll never leave you hungry.
No comments:
Post a Comment