Charis is a group of our young people, led by Faye, who meet up monthly. They have put together today’s “Doing Church Differently”.
We like to meet up and do church via Zoom on a Sunday evening. Last week, we discussed how we are feeling and how different life is right now to what we expected. Niamh and Alicia talked about their GCSEs and how their future is unknown. They are missing so much teaching which could affect their results and their future. The girls talked about how they are having to study on their own and they are sometimes finding it difficult to stay focus and be motivated. Lois spoke about how she missed her friends. She should be hanging out with her friends at school, enjoying lunch together, going to clubs, meeting up with them in town on the weekend and now she is isolated from them. Even though the girls are staying in contact with friends, it’s just not the same via Facetime and there is still sometimes a feeling of loneliness.
Right now life feels like 1 Corinthians 9:26:
‘Therefore I run like someone running aimlessly; I fight like a boxer beating the air.’
Life feels like it has lost all purpose and we look at life and wonder how we got here and what are we supposed to do with our life.
The thing is you may have noticed that we quoted the verse incorrectly. 1 Corinthians 9:26 actually says:
‘Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.’
Dr Myles Monroe said that‘The greatest tragedy in life is not death, but a life without purpose.’
Our lives feel like we have no purpose however, God still has a purpose in these unknown times and our calling is to serve God’s purpose. We need to take our eyes of all the unknowns, all the questions and choose to serve God’s purpose. If you want to serve God’s purpose, we can start by serving God’s people. Jesus is the ultimate example we need to follow.
‘For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’
Mark 10:45
Choose today to stop focusing on what we can’t control and start focusing on what we can. Choose to love others and to serve them as Jesus did. In these times when we can’t serve as we usually do, it’s time to think outside the box! It’s great to hear how different people are serving and if you haven’t found a way, have a think – there is great joy when we choose to do God’s purpose and we are used by Him.
Here are a few ideas of how we can love others and serve them:
- Send a message of encouragement or thanks – maybe even a video message rather than a text message
- Help people with their shopping
- Pick up their prescription
- Give someone a phone call
- Pray for people or situations
- God has lots of ideas, so why not ask him, but make sure you are listening for when the opportunity arises
As we come to sing praises to our God who never changes, remember that our perspective of God does not change, He is still our good and loving Father. But as we come to focus on God, our perspective of our situation will change. Be ready to be changed by God as we refocus on Him.
Faye, Niamh, Alicia & Lois
How do we remain hopeful in a world that seems hopelessly broken? How do we continue to trust a God that seems conspicuously absent? How do we find peace in a world that is spinning out of control? If you’ve ever asked questions like these, you’re not alone . . . and you’re not the first. Uncertainty is nothing new. And the uncertainty we face today is no different from the uncertainty faced by the men and women of the Bible. And like them, we are left to question God’s faithfulness, his presence, his concern. In our new 3-part series with Andy Stanley which starts today, we are reminded that . . . He’s Still* Got the Whole World in His Hands.
We’ve also got our Doing Church Differently… for Kids! Don’t forget to check it out.