Serving Self, or Serving Others

This past week my BSF study has been based on Isaiah 58-59. It talked about serving others and not just "going through the motions" with religious activities. Our substitute speaker really hit it home last night when she said that, "Before God will answer our prayers, we must first be the answer to prayer for someone else." Wow! Talk about needing to do a self check. I started thinking about how my prayers tend to be all about me. What I want, what I need, but where am I serving God by serving others. Am I really looking out for others first?

The speaker continued to tell a story about how she couldn't have children and so they adopted, but through the 3 year process she learned that it wasn't about her need/desire to become a mother, it was about being the answer to prayer for the little girl. She said she firmly believes it took 3 years because that is how long it took for God to change her heart from being self focused to becoming others focused.

This is when the sledge hammer hit. Once again I was convicted about the sell of my house. It seems that God has a lot to teach me in this process, so I better start listening. For the past 8 months I have been praying for God to sell my house so that I could move into a bigger house. Do we desperately need to move? Bo. Do I want to move? Yes. And of course my reasonings are valid and not different than anyone else. We need more space. We need more rooms. My sweet little home has served us well for 4 years and it is time to move on. But again, have I ever once thought to pray for the people who will eventually buy my house? Have I ever thought about praying that God would provide the perfect family that needs a little starter home? No! It's been me focused. But last night as I sat in lecture it became very clear. God provided this home to Any and I over 4 years ago when we least expected it. We had no plans of looking to buy, but this perfect little house (which was the only house in Boerne in our price range) just fell into our laps. God provided a home that met our needs with a mortgage that fit our budget. And now I need to pray that he will do it again for someone else.

Now I know what you might be thinking, because Andy said the same thing. Maybe we aren't suppose to sell our house. Honestly, I don't believe that is the case. I believe whole heartedly that God is refining me and my heart through this process. And maybe in the end we won't sell. But right now I hear very clearly to pray for the future owners. To pray that our little home will fall into someone else's laps.

So here I go...being more others focused instead of self focused. I don't need to remind God of my desires. He knows. And I believe there will be a time when he will call me to specifically pray for our future home, but that time is not now. Now is the time to pray for others.