The Most Important Thing

Do you ever have one of those moments when you know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God has laid something on your heart?

Maybe it’s an idea.

Maybe it’s a truth from His Word.

Maybe it’s a calling.

It is these things that I often write down in my journal. These words from God that I want to remember and hold onto and keep thinking about.

Well, I have experienced this recently, and today I want to share with you about the most important thing in my life right now. This episode will be a bit more reflective than usual as I share some of my own thoughts and ideas about what is stirring in my heart right now. And if you’re willing, I’d love for you to email me and let me know what God has placed on your heart in this season.

Identifying the Most Important Thing

Over the past several months, I’ve been listening to several biographies of missionaries. This was sparked by some of the curriculum my daughter is using for homeschool this year. And as I hear these missionary journeys, I am just so convicted of the seemingly singular focus they have of bringing others to Christ.

Every decision they make is weighed by what is best for those they are serving. They sacrifice in order to give to others. They follow in whatever direction God is leading, whether it’s what they wanted or not. All in an effort to reach more people for Christ.

And I am convinced that it is more important than ever for us to be sharing the Gospel with others. Like, truly sharing it and living it out in front of people.

Sometimes I feel like we become so used to the Gospel that we forget how life-changing it really is. Especially if you have grown up in the church. We grow numb to the powerful truths that we read in God’s Word.

Things like: There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Things like: God is with you.

Things like: God’s grace is sufficient for you.

Things like: God has forgiven all of your sin. All of it!

Things like: God is good, and all good things come from Him.

Things like: God will strengthen you when you are weary.

Things like: God can give you His incredible peace, which passes any understanding we have.

Things like: Nothing can separate you from the love of God. Nothing!

I mean, just read Romans 8 and you’ll read truth after truth about how much God cares about us and is there for us. And we ought to share these things with others. We ought to live them out.

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Showing Up When It Gets Hard

And it gets hard, doesn’t it? Others don’t understand our values and priorities, or they question our motives, or they just think we’re weird or crazy.

It’s especially hard when it’s family or close friends. Because sometimes it actually does push them away. They’re not ready to receive the truth.

But we’ve got to put our feet to the ground and actually live it out.

When someone is hurting, we’ve got to show up.

When someone is in need, we come alongside them.

When someone is grieving, we sit together with them.

When someone feels ignored, we look them in the eye and start a conversation.

We’ve got to know the people God has called us to encourage and care for and actually show up for them. Make a commitment to be there.

And, you know, I love what I do here on the podcast, showing up to support you and encourage you during difficult seasons of life.  But I can’t let that get in the way of my actually showing up in real life to those in my church and community who need some extra care.

Being local is about more than shopping local or supporting small businesses. It’s about being a missionary right where God has placed you in this season. It’s showing up for neighborhood activities or community events. How has God called you to show up?

Personal Examples of Showing Up

My family and I have really made it a priority to show up, to pray, to minister in whatever ways we can. Let me share a few examples of what it looks like in this season.

My husband and daughter started a mowing ministry, where they mow yards for widows or single women who can’t necessarily do it on their own, nor can they afford to pay a lawn care service to do it. I love that. Showing up faithfully to care for the yards, taking time to talk with the women… it really makes a huge difference.

There are also times when individuals in our church need some extra help. They need meals, they need companionship, they need a ride. And we, as a family, really want to show up during these times. We want to love our church family well.

We also join with our church in visiting a local nursing home to play Bingo with the residents there. By showing up on a regular basis, we communicate that we care about them, that we enjoy being with them, that they matter. We laugh, we joke around, we enjoy being together.

And let’s not forget the simple courtesy of responding to messages in a timely manner. This is something my husband and I are both big on. We want to return phone calls or text messages promptly, in such a way that lets the other person know that we care about them and want to help answer whatever question they have, whether it’s giving them some information or setting up a time to get together, or anything like that. This is a simple way to show up for someone. Even if you can’t do what they’ve asked you to do, letting them know that right away gives them time to look for someone else.

Finally, I can’t stress how important it has been for us to show up for our own kids. In a world where children are often neglected or pushed to the side, we want our kids to know how much we love them and how much we enjoy being with them. It’s being willing to put our work aside and play a game with them. It’s inviting them to come outside and do some chores together with us. We still have our time to work, but we also have time to be together as a family.

Journal Prompt: How is God calling me to show up?

Our journal prompt for this week is, How is God calling you to show up right now?

Your answer might look like a specific person who needs some extra love and care from you right now. Or it might be a mindset shift, like being willing to be fully present with those you are around instead of letting your mind wonder or get distracted by other things. Or maybe it’s a community or neighborhood that God is inviting you to step into in a very tangible way.

How is God calling you to show up in this season of your life?

Explore it together with God. Brainstorm ways you can show up and love others, meet some of their needs, or simply sit with them in their hardship.

And then be willing to actually go and do it. It might mean something else has to be let go for a little bit. That’s okay. It might mean that something needs to radically change. That’s okay, too. Follow God’s lead and you can’t go wrong, my friend.

I’ve shared with you something God has laid on my heart recently. What has He shared with you? I’d love to hear. You can email me at kari@lovedoesthat.org.

Prayer

God, You are called Immanuel because You dared to show up for us in the flesh. May we, too, be ready and willing to show up for those around us—to love them, to be there for them, to help them when they are in need. All so they know not just how much we care about them, but how much YOU care about them, too. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen..

RELATED EPISODES + RESOURCES:

• Episode 31: Why You Can’t Let Failure Stop You From Reaching Out
• Episode 35: Job the Encourager: Strengthening Those Who are Weak
• Episode 46: Run to Win: Encouragement As We Enter the New Year
• Episode 108: Just Because Something’s Hard Doesn’t Mean It’s Wrong

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