The last ingredient to getting my way!

John 15: ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. ¹⁷ This is my command: Love each other.

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We arrived at the cancer center for children. I kept looking at my watch keeping track of my time. “Finally” I said to myself as my boss walked in late. “Now that I have officially been seen by my boss, I can get out of here and go do what I want.” I mean he was the one who set this thing up in the first place! Looking back on that, I don’t even remember why I was trying to leave so quickly.

• People with problems should never be an inconvenience to me.
• People with problems should never be viewed as a disruption to my schedule.
• People with problems should never be avoided so I can get “my way.”

Time after time I have seen the weak left behind, the broken trampled and the bothered left alone. It isn’t easy to have patience with a person who has problems and hasn’t got it all together. Why do I know that? Because I finally realized I am one of those weak, broken bothered people.

• GOD wants me to empathize with the weak and hampered so HIS love can shine.
• GOD wants me to show compassion to the weary in order to help them remember HE loves them in spite of their circumstances.
• GOD wants me to serve the underserved to show them GOD hears their prayers and desperately loves them.

What about getting “my” way while I’m doing all this giving and serving? GOD specifically made me for HIS purpose to bear fruit for HIM. The more I make HIS way “my way” the more I can ask in the name of JESUS and get “my way.” Only GOD knows when I am “bearing fruit” because HE is the ONE who keeps track of what I do.

It’s up to me to “ask” for things GOD wants me to have and HE will give it to me in abundance. HE wants me to actually “love” people so that I can know what to ask for.

• Are you frustrated because you are asking GOD for things and not getting your way?
• Have you assessed the things you are asking for to see if it is “all about you?”
• When is the last time you have shown compassion, empathy and love for the underserved?
• Are you planning to bear fruit for GOD the way HE wants you to, knowing it may take you out of your comfort zone?