SEPTEMBER 28
Hey friend,
I must admit… I’m getting a bit sad about ending this 30-day journey together. I have begun to enjoy writing more and more. One reason is that there is a part of my heart that seems to come out only through the writing process. I have sensed God softening my heart and giving me increased compassion for people as I have written devotionals over the last year.
My compassion comes as I imagine you pursuing God. I can sense the favor and pleasure of God towards you as you seek Him, and it makes me happy.
Today, we are going to look again at the same passage we prayed through yesterday, but we are going to pray through a different angle this time.
Before we go there, let’s talk about your personality. Are you more people-oriented or task-oriented? Like, are the guy at the office always looking for a conversation, or are you the one with your noise-cancelling headphones on when you go to the bathroom?
I find it interesting that my wife Stacie is actually more introverted than I am, but she is way more relational than me. She is better with people. She is a better listener. She is more pastoral. She remembers things I forget (like birthdays and anniversaries)… and in this sense, she is a whole lot more like Jesus.
I do best with friends when we are accomplishing something together. If we have a mission, a project, or somewhere we are going, well, I am a great conversationalist. I really struggle talking about feelings, and I would much prefer to be doing something together rather than sitting and talking. Don’t hate or judge, just shooting straight with you.
Some of this is good and natural and how God has wired me. Some of this makes me a better leader and helps me live a more fruitful life, and it also certainly has a downside. I have made some people feel anxious if they can’t speak fast enough, or had many times where I have been impatient with people whom I deeply love.
Why do I share all this? Because no matter what your personality is, you have natural weaknesses in relating to others. You may be really nice, but also a people-pleaser. You may be super available to chat, but also insensitive to people’s boundaries regarding time.
I have found that there is a super helpful prayer for every personality type that rounds us off and makes us more like Jesus, and it comes from Matthew 9:36:
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
Jesus was deeply moved with compassion for people. He cared for them and loved them.
So here’s today’s prayer. It’s super simple.
You might pray something like this…
“Jesus, help me see people the way you see people.”
That’s it today. Now you may want to fill in the blanks and ask for His help with someone who is driving you crazy. You may pray this for your neighbors who don’t know the love of Jesus. You may pray this for your spouse, kids, teacher, or coworker.
If you ask Jesus, He will change your perspective and give you compassion. It may take time, but He will do it.
With love,
Pastor Andy
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This month has been such a heart stir, soul stir and mind stir, with every mornings intercessory prayer and sundays relationship playbook! Thank you for your efforts pastor Andy! May we all have more compassion towards others as a church, in Jesus’s mighty name.
Amen
Amen!!!
I need to pray this more again. I’m working on the sensitivity to others time thing. A work always in process.
I understand what you’re saying about the more you write. The more i assist with weekly check-ins, the more compassion I have for the people.
So relevant and timely. We talked about this in my echo group last week, how the key to loving others when it’s hard is to ask God to help us to see them through his eyes. Lord… Give us your eyes and lens to see through. Amen.
Wow it didn’t seem like a homework time went by so fast. I hate any type of goodbyes. I had a career with my husband in the military and they were always goodbyes as we move from station to station. First Thessalonians 4:17,18.
I comfort myself with these words. Like David did. First Samuel 30:6
There really is never goodbye it’s only temporary we have eternity together.
Yes for God so loved the world John 316 that’s a pretty big heart!
A goal for the task oriented! 🙂
?OK I’m mote task oriented. I didn’t bother spellchecking my text to speech!
Late correction:
Wow, it didn’t seem like a “month”…