First, I want you to know that you are special and you can have amazing encounters with God daily. You are never so lost that God cannot use your life to do beautiful things. You are found in Him. (Colossians 3:2-3)
Second, I’d like to talk to you about your calling and the potential within you to do great things. Some of you don’t feel you are great, or have a calling at all, and I’d like to talk about that too.
God put it on my heart to talk about this because of a conversation I recently had with a close friend of mine. She was telling me about these amazing breakthroughs she had on a mission trip last year, how close to God she felt, and the encouraging words people told her regarding her future and how she was called to do such great things.
Then she came home and things didn’t seem any different in her life.
I’ve been on a few short-term mission trips now and I know what she felt like. Being away from home, away from responsibilities, and focusing solely on serving and receiving from God – it’s such a good feeling, like you’re actually doing ministry and living like Jesus. What a great experience!
But what happens when you come, when you are living the day-to-day life? Some of you are still living with your parents, and can’t just leave the country to go live in the jungle. Some of you feel stuck, because of your situation, lack of resources, financial issues, etc. God has put a dream within you but to see it happen feels like crossing an ocean. So, your desire to feel special and do great things can clash with your reality, and sometimes, it feels like you’re just not living the life you are called to live.
(Or maybe you are a rock star and living your dream. You are awesome, if that is you. Keep living for Jesus!)
But I’m talking to the rest of us here, who are waiting, twiddling their thumbs, and just wanting to be used by God but not sure how or when it’ll happen.
Can I share with you something God has taught me?
I used to feel this way, because like my friend, I had received some pretty detailed prophetic words about my future, but it seemed like the reality of my life was not anywhere close to what I had been promised.
Then God told me one day when I was so discouraged, “Daughter, you can still love.”
It was so simple.
Jesus tells us, of all His commandments, the greatest is to love God and second, to love our neighbor. (Matthew 22:36-40) I used to feel like I wasn’t qualified because I hadn’t gone to bible college, published a book, recorded an album, so how could God use me? How am I special when I’m just a freelancer working at home?
I don’t even have a cool ministry name.
Yet, the Lord says I can still love.
Last week, this girl said something pretty harsh to me, and it hurt. My first reaction was to label her as a mean girl and avoid her at all costs, but God later dealt with my heart and told me to pray for her. I listened, and began praying for her. After a couple days, God began to show me how He sees her and His love for her was tearing down walls in my heart. It was so beautiful and I repented for judging her. I texted her a few days ago and shared what God revealed to me and she has had a completely different attitude towards me since then. She even invited me to coffee!
I know the story doesn’t always end this way, sometimes we choose the high road and people are still nasty and mean, but I felt like God gave this as a gift for us to see how powerful love can be.
You are going to do all that God has called you to do, don’t worry about it. But your life doesn’t start when those things happen, it starts today, by knowing more about Jesus, about His ministry, reading the word, praying for others and looking for opportunities to love.
Do you know one thing I adore about Jesus? He always noticed the one. He paid attention to those around Him. He saw them, individually, as people His Father loved. Especially the outcasts and the ones people had lost all hope for.
the greatest ministry you can ever have is to love the person in front of you. Share on X Listen Princesses, the greatest ministry you can ever have is to love the person in front of you. You can do it now and there is no qualification for this. You don’t need a lot of money, a degree in something fancy, perfect health, or whatever to simply pray for someone. You just need to be willing to take risks, not care what people think about you, and love courageously.
I believe when we go to heaven and stand before Jesus at the heavenly gate, He isn’t going to look at how many people followed our Instagram, how many books we published, how many countries we traveled to, or how many ministries we could get started… He will ask us if we learned to love. He will look us in the eyes and say, “Daughter, did you love?” That is His desire. That is his greatest commandment.
Whenever I ask God in the morning, “Lord, please give me an opportunity to love someone today,” I have never seen Him not answer this prayer. If you are willing, He will use you.
Don’t get so caught up in the calling, the big ministry, the huge crowds, that you forget about Jesus, about the love, and about the one. When you see it from His perspective, this is all that matters.
“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Princesses, my encouragement to you is this: no matter where you are, no matter how your life looks like right now, no matter what people have said or done to you, if you are filled with the Holy Spirit and continue to receive the love Jesus has for you, you are already equipped and able to do full-time ministry. Your ministry is first and foremost to love God with all your heart, being completely surrendered and devoted to Him, and second to love those beside you. Don’t be afraid, don’t let anyone say you can’t, and go.
One of my favorite verses is Colossians 3:12-17, because I think it really gives such a great summary of how we ought to live:
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
Let me pray for you:
Jesus, holy and beautiful God, you are so awesome! Thank you Abba for sending your son to earth, to show us the way, the truth, and the life. To give us a completely clean slate before you. To give us a second chance. Lord, we love you. I ask that you give us the grace and courage to love like you do. You do it so well, Jesus, and we have so much to learn. Thank you for your daughters, for how you will do great things through them, and will show them where you want them to go and will speak through them, but Lord, I pray you would encourage their hearts today. Show them how special they are today, where they are at right now. Show them what it looks like for them to love today. Give us opportunities every day to love and follow in your footsteps. You are all we want, Jesus. In your name I pray, amen.
With so much love for you,
Katya