What About ME?!
When we we get to a point in our lives, in our walk with Christ, where we are asking the very frustrating question, “what about me”, and the silence makes it seem as if God is standing there shrugging His shoulders saying, with a bit of sarcasm, “WHAT ABOUT YOU?, life can become a bit heartbreaking. The part of us that knows our Savior, our High Priest who is standing at the right hand of the Father interceding for us, isn’t really standing there giving us that heartless answer, gets buried in our disappointment.
Most of the things we are waiting with bated breath to happen, aren’t bad things. Most of them are actually God things. Sometimes, it’s us wondering when we can finally begin walking in our calling, or questions about our next steps. Single people could have questions on their heart about when their forever mate will finally be revealed, and married people could be sighing out to the Lord about when their spouse will finally get saved. How about those unsaved children that you might be praying for? And, we can’t forget those cries to the Lord asking when He will finally bring healing, financial recovery, or emotional stability. Our cry of “what about me” could also be for material things, although they probably don’t come from a place of greed. It could be the single mother wondering when she can finally be blessed with a car so she can stop using public transportation, or the couple with the 5 kids jammed up in a two bedroom apartment wondering when God is going to finally bless them with a house.
Notice, I use the word FINALLY a lot in the previous paragraph? That’s because when we get to the point where our main cry to God is, “what about me,” it usually means we are at the end of our rope, or at least we think we are. Those words usually come at the point when we are sick and tired of the many prayers of faith that we’ve put out over the years for that SAME THING, prayers that have not gotten answered. Or when we see other people who started their journey with us, walking in or receiving that same thing that we haven’t gotten yet. That word, “finally” is one we want to breath out once our cries “finally” get answered, not the word we want to use when asking when we will get the answers to our prayers.
Today, I just want to give you one answer to your “what about me” question. That answer, as you have probably already guessed, is Philippians 2:2-5: “In authentic humility put others first and view others as more important than yourselves. Possess a greater concern for what matters to others instead of your own interests. Consider the example that Jesus, the Anointed One, has set before us. Let His mindset become your motivation.”
In our desperation to get that thing, that blessing, that person, that we want so badly, we can sometimes lose sight of the people around us, those who may or may not be in a worse situation than we are. God never wants us to lose sight of others. He didn’t come to this earth for Himself, and we are not called to live on this earth just to get our own needs, wants, and desires met. No matter how important those things are.
So, the question I have for you is this: “Whose interests can you serve today by counting their good as more significant than your convenience (Trillia Newbell)?”
Do you want to be a best selling author, and your book isn’t selling? Try saying, “yes” the next time somebody asks you to look over their own writing efforts. Your time will come, but would’t it be awesome if you could help somebody else get closer to their time, in the meantime?
Do you want to be married? How about serving a married couple by babysitting their kids so that THEY can have a date night? Those same kids might become YOUR babysitters in the future!
Have you been praying for healing for months, years, decades, even? I have a friend in this situation, and she is the MOST unselfish person I know. She gives her time to others, counseling them and praying for them, always available when you need encouragement and a word from THE WORD! Yes, she struggles with her illnesses, but she lives out Philippians 2:2-5 while waiting for her own deliverance.
Can’t wait to go on the mission field; wondering when God is going to open the doors for you? How about sending support to a missionary or two on a monthly basis, and sowing a seed into your future calling? How about becoming their prayer warrior?
Are your children out of control and thumbing their noses at the Lord? Become a coach or mentor to someone else’s unsaved or struggling child.
I can go on, but you get my point. When the cry of your heart is, “what about me,” take your inward focus and see what the people around you need. That’s the way of the Lord, and His ways are always right.
Next month, part 2 is coming. God won’t make you wait forever, so take hope & stay tuned!