The Search for Significance

From time to time I ask myself if what I do for the Kingdom makes any difference. One might wonder why I would ask that question if I’m secure in my relationship with the Lord. There is only one answer, when you have impact for the Kingdom, the enemy will do His best to bring doubt, discouragement and concern into your mind.

When I start to feel this way, something always happens that shows me I’m being silly. It can be as simple as a someone liking one of the devotionals I post to an email or phone call thanking me for what we do with our business and ministry.

Along with the gift of faith, my wife says I’m a great encourager. Telling someone they are doing a good job seems natural to me. I’m not one to praise one for any reason, if I tell someone they are doing a good job, I truly believe they are.

If you are feeling insignificant today, this is my prayer for you. “Lord open our eyes that we may see how you are glorified in all we do. Let us see the impact of what you have called us to…give us peace with our life calling and the strength to care on.” In Jesus name I pray, amen

Blessings

The Search for Significance

TGIF Today God Is First NextGen
by Charis Hillman Brown

“Come and follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” -Matthew 4:19

Have you ever felt insignificant? Have you ever felt like nothing you did would matter to anyone else? Conversely, have you ever felt valued? Like, what you did really mattered to someone in this world?

If you ever ask a young person what they want to be when they grow up, they’ll likely say something like, “An astronaut!” “A fireman!” “A ballerina!” “A rockstar!” Even from an early age, we’re searching for significance. We’re searching to do something “cool” that makes an impact on others.

Unfortunately, so much of our American culture today focuses on who is in the spotlight. We confuse the spotlight for significance. But, once we’ve tasted what it means to truly make a difference, the rest of the “fluffy stuff” just doesn’t matter anymore. What matters is that our lives mean something to others. I heard a pastor tell a story once about a few unnamed people who made a difference in his church. A small group of volunteers wanted to make a backdrop for their stage with the words “There is hope in Jesus”. A man walked in the next Sunday with his mind made up. He had decided that that day was the day he was going to end his own life. He thought to himself, “I am going to go to church one last time. And then, I am going to go home and end it.”

The man walked into their church and looked at the words on the backdrop. As the story was told, he observed the worship, he listened to the preaching, but when he got home that day, ready to do whatever he was going to do, all that he could think of was those words, “There is hope in Jesus.” Those words inspired him not to take his life that day.

Are you focused on making a difference in someone’s life, versus just searching for success? Success finds us when we make it a point to bless someone else. Blessing can be in the form of words, an action, or a smile. Who have you blessed today?