Meditation Monday: "God's will...with love" Donna

I am fired up! While studying John 4:1-42 with the DL Ladies on Sunday I got super pumped! John 4 is the story of the Samaritan woman at the well and I cannot tell you how many times I have heard/read this story. (It’s a lot.) But this time was different; I began to focus less on the desperation of the Samaritan woman and more on how Jesus handles this ministry opportunity. Honestly, Jesus is the perfect mix of grace and truth, of which we model our personal ministries after.

What can we learn?

• We are called to take an interest in every person’s life that we meet. This doesn’t mean hanging out with them in all of your free time because that would literally be impossible. It means genuinely caring about someone that you meet. When you ask how they are, listen and care about the answer. Remember their name and show them God’s love no matter which side of the tracks they are from. These actions will be pleasing to the Lord because it is His will for you. Who knows how that random person will end up blessing and encouraging you! Phillipians 2:13
• Check your intensions. Don’t take an interest in someone to boost your own “gospel-spreading” numbers. Jesus didn’t talk to the Samaritan woman to tell his disciples that He saved another person. The only thing we have to boast in is Jesus and our own personal weaknesses, so what better way to do that than to love every person sincerely.  2 Corinthians 1:12, Psalms 32:2
• If it is the will of God, the outcome does not matter! Because of the urgency of the Gospel we often judge our ministry by the outcome of situations. “Does that girl I got lunch with want to come to BCM now? Oh, she doesn’t… I must have failed.” NO! If it is God’s will for you to love every other person, which it is, the outcome does not matter. Do not quantify the Kingdom of God. It is one of the biggest things I struggle with but when we quantify the Kingdom, we quantify God and his will. 1 Thessalonians 2:3-5

This topic has been on my heart recently because I would always have expectations of God in regards to my personal ministry. This was volatile to my faith and everything I knew about God. Once I earnestly set out to please God in my ministry, He began to give me gaps in my schedule for fellowship with nonbelievers. Pour out the love God gives you for other people so His will can be done.

Honestly, this is something I am still really working on and praying about. But the hope is that we don’t have to prove our worth to God, He already did that for us. Also, if you don’t know where to start with any of this information, check out 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

Let me know if you want to discuss this topic further. I love you ladies very much!

- Donna

Donna is a sophomore and Discipleship Leader at BCM. She loves acting goofy and spiking people in the face with volleyballs.