Do you have an established routine that you follow without even thinking about it? Most of us do. From carpooling to school to soccer practice to making a quick and easy dinner, we check off the items on our lists without much conscious effort. But have you ever wondered what you might be missing with such an established routine?
Or more importantly, who you are missing?
When God Calls Us for More
It can be hard to move past our safe little worlds to look at others fading in the darkness and despair. We are so busy that we just don’t have time to think about what else may be out there. But what happens when God calls us to reach out to those around us? How do we find them if we have tunnel vision?
Sometimes we can be so focused on the path in front of us, much like race horses that commonly wear blinders to keep them from getting distracted as they run their races. But for us, those blinders keep us from seeing the needs of people around us. They are not going to step in front of us so we can see their pain and longing; they are going to be the ones off to the side. They are hidden in the shadows, too afraid or too ashamed to come out and ask for help.
How to Find the Needs
So, how do you find those lost souls? Ideally, local churches are already involved in some type of service to the community, but there are other ways if this is not the case. If you are just getting started in service, you can volunteer at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen. Find programs offered by the community such as a food pantry or literacy awareness and volunteer your services.
As you begin to feel more comfortable in volunteering, you can even organize your own project. Find a space in a public building and offer to teach a skill to help people find jobs. Find out if you can organize a nursery in the local shelter or with another program for parents that work but cannot afford childcare.
What about homebound seniors that are alone and lonely? While there are people in nursing homes that would appreciate a visit, others are still at home and need companionship and other assistance.
The Sky’s the Limit
Once you start thinking about all of the ways you can help meet the needs of others, you’ll be surprised at the ideas you get. Why didn’t you think of that before? Because the first step is removing the blinders and asking God to show you where He wants you to work. Sometimes God uses distractions to show us where He wants us to work. Are you willing to take off the blinders and look around you for those who need you?
