“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your
plans.” –Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)
This verse points out the
fact that we are supposed to take every action we’re aware of before we turn to God. Action combined
with faith in the Lord can bring about amazing answers to prayers. In other
words, work is often required to get the best results.
When we come to the end of our knowledge and resources, then God will help us. He will also lead
us to assist others in a practical way.
How to Help Ourselves
- Look for a new job.
- Search for new solutions for our medical challenges.
- Eat more healthily.
- Get counseling of some kind.
- Exercise more.
- Stop associating with people who only pull us down--when possible.
Improvement isn’t easy; it always
takes effort on our part. Here are some examples from the Bible:
- Wait years for a baby, a kingdom, or a wife.
- Spend years building a wall around Jerusalem while being ridiculed.
- Go out fishing again after fishing unsuccessfully all night.
- Touch Jesus’ garment.
- Fight crowds to get to Jesus.
- Look at Moses’ staff and be healed.
How to Help Others
- Just listen; don’t judge or give advice.
- Boost them with compliments.
- Take the time to answer questions.
- Share money and food when appropriate.
Joyce Meyer told the story
of how a group of missionaries was handing out Bibles in Russia. They were passing
them out in a place where the starving residents had been waiting for hours to
get a little bit of bread and water. One of the ladies in line angrily said
that their Bible wasn’t going to feed her stomach. At that time, the
missionaries changed their strategy. The basic needs of the people had to be
met before the spiritual ones. God helped these people through the
missionaries.
My Conclusion
“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to
have faith, but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a
sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in
peace; keep warm and be well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs,
what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by
action, is dead.”—James 2:14-17
Related Posts
How are you helping yourself and
others?
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