“As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”
(Tiago 2:26)
We may not understand how certain things work in our lives, but we’re not supposed to understand them all. Instead, we are simply supposed to obey God’s command. God’s perspective is different from ours. Sometimes He won’t allow you to solve your own problem. The secret to have it solved is you have to help someone else solve their problem. Yeah, exactly. You have to take the focus off yourself and be good to others in your time of need. As you sow that seed, that’s what’s going to bring the harvest that you’re waiting for.
The best way to express our love for Christ is through service. Words are wonderful, but when you walk in love, your commitment must contain much more than just words. How can I truly love others if I never want to do anything for them? According to James 2:26 “as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”
We may not notice miraculous or spectacular things happening to us after helping others. However, I’m sure there are always rewards of peace and joy in our lives that we didn’t even realize—benefits of obedience that we didn’t even see. And this is what we also receive in return.
I’m sure we lose a lot of blessings we never even know about simply because we fail to do for others what we would like to have done for us. We always want to be blessed in return by the people we bless, but it doesn’t always work that way.
We tend to think, I can’t help them. I have my own problems. I need to spend my energy to try to fix my own situation. But if you’ll take your hands off of your problem and be good to someone else, God will put his hands on your problems and make things happen that you couldn’t make them happen. While you’re working on their situation, God is working on your situation.
The Scripture says, “when Job prayed for his friends, his healing came.” We can imagine how many times Job prayed for himself when he wasn’t feeling well. “God, please restore my health. God please free me from this pain”. And for sure it’s reasonable. That’s releasing your faith. So, don’t stop doing it. However, there are times your breakthrough is connected to helping someone else get their breakthrough.
Perhaps you’ve been praying diligently, but nothing is improving. So, probably it’s about time to go be a blessing. Look around. Where is a need you can meet? Pray for that neighbor that hasn’t been feeling well. Motivate that workmate who’s been struggling. Help that friend accomplish his/her dream. As you’re helping others, you may not be able to see it, but God is helping you. He’s lining up the promotion, the breakthrough, the healing. You can’t sow a seed without reaping a harvest.
So, let’s work in His perspective and help others to be helped. Our purpose is to have a relationship with God, but also to glorify Him. Be a blessing so that you can be blessed!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me be a blessing in other people’s lives. Help me see others with your eyes and see the world with Your perspective so that Your name can be glorified in me. In Jesus’ name, amen.