Confession #7: I've got improvements to make in coming semesters
The semester isn't even really over yet. In fact, I'm in the thick of things getting ready to do clinic checkout and take final exams and write term papers. Summer externship schedules need to be arranged, professors must be convinced to supervise my master's thesis, and I somehow need to get enough sleep to make sure I don't come down with walking pneumonia.
Still, I think it's always about this time that I start reflecting on the semester. What needs to change? What can be done differently? What had I intended to do this semester that didn't actually happen?
Coming out of the first semester, one of my primary focuses was to make sure I was spending time meeting with someone younger in their faith on a weekly basis to offer them love, support, and hopefully some wisdom (along with dinner, hey-o!). Fulfillment of the model given in Titus 2 as being an older woman in someone's life is something I know to be essential.
Praise God, that's been a goal I've pretty much accomplished, proving it CAN be done despite all the busyness I wasn't sure I could overcome. Not only have I seen God grow that relationship, but I've seen it blossom and expand in ways I was not anticipating. God is good at doing that.
But now I look at the semester and my relationships with my fellow classmates at school and am able to make some unfortunate observations. Many of them do not have jobs and can take time to study together and hang out together on the weekends. They've built a network in which I play little part except to pop in and out as needed -- and even the times when I'm "popping in" are typically in class or staffing meetings, when catching up isn't a primary priority. And when catching up isn't even happening, I feel strangled and heartless in my attempts to share Christ.
In the 3 semesters that follow, I'm asking God to stretch me. When I started this semester I didn't know how I would find time to meet with someone on a regular basis. I was stretched and my eyes were open to practical ways that he's given me to be obedient.
I know he can do the same in slowing me down enough to really talk to people in my program. I know he will provide open doors for me and opportunities to love people through meeting their deepest need, which is for Christ, by telling them about him. Beyond that, I pray he opens doors for me to meet other needs, practical needs or just needs for sympathy or attention, that will be a gateway to them listening about the truth.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. (Matt 28:19-20)
The greatest command God gave to humans was to LOVE GOD and the second was to LOVE PEOPLE… with the coming semesters I know I need to grow in both of these things both because God deserves all of my love, ever increasing, and because I want to see my classmates come to know him and be saved.
Still, I think it's always about this time that I start reflecting on the semester. What needs to change? What can be done differently? What had I intended to do this semester that didn't actually happen?
Coming out of the first semester, one of my primary focuses was to make sure I was spending time meeting with someone younger in their faith on a weekly basis to offer them love, support, and hopefully some wisdom (along with dinner, hey-o!). Fulfillment of the model given in Titus 2 as being an older woman in someone's life is something I know to be essential.
Praise God, that's been a goal I've pretty much accomplished, proving it CAN be done despite all the busyness I wasn't sure I could overcome. Not only have I seen God grow that relationship, but I've seen it blossom and expand in ways I was not anticipating. God is good at doing that.
But now I look at the semester and my relationships with my fellow classmates at school and am able to make some unfortunate observations. Many of them do not have jobs and can take time to study together and hang out together on the weekends. They've built a network in which I play little part except to pop in and out as needed -- and even the times when I'm "popping in" are typically in class or staffing meetings, when catching up isn't a primary priority. And when catching up isn't even happening, I feel strangled and heartless in my attempts to share Christ.
In the 3 semesters that follow, I'm asking God to stretch me. When I started this semester I didn't know how I would find time to meet with someone on a regular basis. I was stretched and my eyes were open to practical ways that he's given me to be obedient.
I know he can do the same in slowing me down enough to really talk to people in my program. I know he will provide open doors for me and opportunities to love people through meeting their deepest need, which is for Christ, by telling them about him. Beyond that, I pray he opens doors for me to meet other needs, practical needs or just needs for sympathy or attention, that will be a gateway to them listening about the truth.
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. (Matt 28:19-20)
The greatest command God gave to humans was to LOVE GOD and the second was to LOVE PEOPLE… with the coming semesters I know I need to grow in both of these things both because God deserves all of my love, ever increasing, and because I want to see my classmates come to know him and be saved.
Comments
Post a Comment