Christian Struggles: How to Overcome: (part five)
Our Struggles Are Minimized By Serving Others.
Living our faith by serving others, we gain perspectives on our own struggles.
Faith is not just something we believe—it’s something we live.
As Christians, we are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We show His love to the world through our actions. This means embodying His teachings in our everyday interactions, promoting kindness and compassion in all that we do.
By serving others, we can make a profound impact. We show that faith is not merely a set of beliefs but a lifestyle characterized by love, grace, and mercy. Our daily decisions and relationships reflect our spiritual convictions, urging us to be messengers of hope. We brighten the lives of others, and that same light brightens our lives as well.
We Serve As A Way to Manage Our Struggles
When we face struggles, it’s easy to ignore the suffering of those around us. In the midst of our chaos, we can become so enveloped in our own challenges that we forget the weight others bear. One of the best ways to manage our own struggles is to step outside of ourselves. Helping others in their own battles can be incredibly rewarding. Haven’t you noticed that when you face something tough, and you help someone else, you begin to forget your own tough times? Even if it’s just for a moment, it makes a difference.
Acts of kindness can give us more than just a momentary distraction. They can shift our perspective. They remind us that we are not alone in our suffering. Engaging with others can lift our spirits and offer a fresh outlook on our own problems. If nothing else, it gives our minds a little reprieve from incessantly thinking. Most of us tend to overanalyze our difficulties. Perhaps, we would be better served by simply taking a step back. Letting ourselves breathe for a moment could help.
Don’t Have To Figure It Out Ourselves.
Many times, people fall into the trap of trying to figure it all out on their own. But maybe, just maybe, if we gave our minds a rest and invited God into our decision-making, we’d find ourselves in a more peaceful and clearer mindset. I’m not suggesting we do nothing and expect God to handle everything for us. Hardly.
Life requires action, effort, and intention. Yet, there’s a profound strength in knowing when to act and when to trust. We can actively seek answers while at the same time letting God ultimately decide the right path. It’s a delicate balance—a dance between faith and action. Through this process, we can cultivate resilience and empathy, not just for ourselves, but for those we meet on our journey. By helping others, we grow in understanding and compassion, finding healing along the way.
“In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” – James 2:17
Real-Life Reflection:
Michael felt a nudge to start volunteering at a local shelter, even though he didn’t feel particularly qualified. He felt out of place among people different from him.
But soon he found that underneath his facade, he wasn’t much different than the others. He found himself embracing relationships with those much different than him. He found he could learn from their experiences and was humbled by their stories of survival.
Michael discovered a deeper sense of purpose and connection with God. His faith came alive. He saw how small acts of kindness could make a big impact. These acts affected not just others but himself as well.
He made visiting the homeless shelters a weekly part of his life. He even met his wife there, which was a story in itself he loved to share.
Devotional Questions:
- How can you live out your faith in practical ways?
- What opportunities do you have to serve others in your community?
- How does serving others deepen your relationship with God?
Conclusion:
It’s a fact of life, Christians struggle. I don’t know a single Christian who hasn’t suffered trials. Throughout history, many have died for their faith. We must acknowledge our humanness in order to live our faith. So when our struggles inevitably come, we are not as shell-shocked as we could be. It’s not that we look for problems around every corner, but that our first response is to turn to God.
God bless, and have a great day.
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Deja’Vu/ Is a church stealing my idea?
Not really. But this is so interesting. Last month, I posted a series of articles about recognizing God’s voice. As my husband and I were returning from a dinner with friends last night, we saw this at local church’s exterior announcement board, “Knowing God’s Guidance”. We looked at each other like, “Whoa”. What a coincidence, huh? Read more
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“Retarded”, End the word
Down Syndrome is not a six letter word. Watch your words, OK? Read more
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how to apply lower lid mascara without smudging/brilliant
Yesterday I was so irritated. After carefully applying my eye make-up and recently reading about how “Yes, we should wear mascara on our lower lids.”, I thought I’d give it a try. A lot of smudging went on. So wouldn’t you know it, I was “pinning” later and found this brilliant solution. I’m going right Read more
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my routine
It occurs to me that I really don’t post about a normal day in my life So seeing as today is as normal as my life gets, I thought I’d give you a sneak peek. Well, I got up. Hey, that’s good, right? Was pleased that my IBD has calmed down. That alone was enough Read more
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Wait till you see this orange chalk-painted furniture.
I love this piece. It’s in my sun room which is a converted porch in a 100+ year-old home. It’s finny because it’s the smallest room in an otherwise large house and it’s the room in which family and friends always congregate. Here is the before: I did lightly sand it because it was a Read more
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Strawberry cake
Today I made a fresh strawberry cake from the Cake Doctor cookbook. However, this is not the recipe in my Cake Doctor Cookbook. My recipe didn’t call for gelatin. It called for three cups of chopped strawberries instead of two and only 1/2 cup of oil. Just wanted you to know. These are Christmas muffin liners. Read more
-
Deja’Vu/ Is a church stealing my idea?
Not really. But this is so interesting. Last month, I posted a series of articles about recognizing God’s voice. As my husband and I were returning from a dinner with friends last night, we saw this at local church’s exterior announcement board, “Knowing God’s Guidance”. We looked at each other like, “Whoa”. What a coincidence, huh? Read more
-
“Retarded”, End the word
Down Syndrome is not a six letter word. Watch your words, OK? Read more
-
how to apply lower lid mascara without smudging/brilliant
Yesterday I was so irritated. After carefully applying my eye make-up and recently reading about how “Yes, we should wear mascara on our lower lids.”, I thought I’d give it a try. A lot of smudging went on. So wouldn’t you know it, I was “pinning” later and found this brilliant solution. I’m going right Read more
-
my routine
It occurs to me that I really don’t post about a normal day in my life So seeing as today is as normal as my life gets, I thought I’d give you a sneak peek. Well, I got up. Hey, that’s good, right? Was pleased that my IBD has calmed down. That alone was enough Read more
-
Wait till you see this orange chalk-painted furniture.
I love this piece. It’s in my sun room which is a converted porch in a 100+ year-old home. It’s finny because it’s the smallest room in an otherwise large house and it’s the room in which family and friends always congregate. Here is the before: I did lightly sand it because it was a Read more
-
Strawberry cake
Today I made a fresh strawberry cake from the Cake Doctor cookbook. However, this is not the recipe in my Cake Doctor Cookbook. My recipe didn’t call for gelatin. It called for three cups of chopped strawberries instead of two and only 1/2 cup of oil. Just wanted you to know. These are Christmas muffin liners. Read more
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