This world can be a painful place. Cancer is ravaging our loved ones. Alzheimer’s attacks without mercy. Children are suffering from hunger, neglect, and all sorts of horrific abuse.
And the coronavirus is out to steal, kill, and destroy our peace, lives, and finances.
Somewhere in all of this, there is screaming.
Can you hear it? If you quiet yourself, you can. Those suffering are screaming from the depths of their souls, crying out for help. Just a word. Something to give them hope that it will get better, that there is more than pain, fear, and lack.
They need to see that God is moving. And if they’ve never experienced Him before, they need to know He is real.
And sometimes God will choose to use you to show them. Sometimes He will use your mouth to encourage them, your creativity to be present in their lives while keeping socially distant, and sometimes, yes, your money to provide for them.
Are you letting Him? Or are you keeping your mouth shut when you should speak up? Are you so preoccupied with surviving the quarantine that God can’t possibly use you? Maybe you’re keeping your hands wrapped so tightly around your money “just in case” that He can’t use that either.
So while you’re keeping quiet and holding on to your checkbook, someone is screaming in God’s ear.
Of course, God hears it all. He sees it all. He sees one child hurting and crying out for help while the other with a heart too hard, too stubborn and self-absorbed to help.
Which child are you?
If you are one of those who are screaming, please know I’m praying for you. Don’t give up. Keep crying out to God. He hears you. Your rescue is coming.
You see, I’ve also screamed in God’s ear, begging for His rescue. And I’ve seen Him move in my life in miraculous ways, sometimes choosing to use others to reach me.
God knows how to reach you too.
Perhaps you are not screaming, but you can hear those who are. You can do something about it. Don’t let the enemy trick you into believing you are stuck at home with no options to reach out.
You can help by allowing God to use you to speak encouraging words through a phone call or to share kind words through a text or social media post; your words can offer hope to someone struggling. Your tender words are the closest thing to a hug you can offer right now. (Maybe you can even be creative in the approach – God will lead you.)
Perhaps you can provide financially for a need. The amount you can share may not seem like much to you, but to someone who is screaming, it is the answer to an agonizing prayer.
And regardless of age or location, no matter if you are completely isolated at home or cooped up with a few family members, you can pray for someone suffering physically, lifting them up to the One who continues to comfort and heal today.
Will you let God use you to ease the screaming in the world today?
Or will you wait until the screaming has stopped and hope seems lost?
“In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears.” (Psalm 18:6 NIV.)
“Kind words heal and help.” (Proverbs 15:4a MSG.)
“Kind words are like honey – sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” (Proverbs 16:24 NLT.)
“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” (Hebrews 13:16 ESV.)
“I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.“ (Romans 15:30 NIV, emphasis my own.)
This is an updated version from an earlier post.
(Photo from pexels.com.)
Training for Eternity 