Be the Sunshine in the Midst of Your Rain

Sometimes the seemingly smallest acts of kindness can have the strongest impact.

I work in the back of a big store. My job is to unload the truck and stock shelves. Last night the truck was big and the team was smaller than normal. It was difficult because space was limited and people were tired and their spirits were low. By the time I left work for my lunch break I was feeling discouraged, defeated, and desperately wanted to give up. I also wanted to cry. Let me also add that I wasn’t looking to Jesus….period. I think God was asking me to pursue joy. Joy is not found in circumstances or people. Joy is everlasting confidence that God is in control even when circumstances don’t go as planned and people fail us. “As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you” John 15:9-12. I think God was prompting my heart with the thought that though I was discouraged I could chose to be focused on me or I could bless someone else.  My co-workers know my love of baking (I am always given the baking aisle to stock J ) and one of them mentioned in passing that I should bake cookies. I left for my hour lunch break with new God given resolve. I made the fastest batch of cookies ever (though in case you think I’m superwoman let me add it was cookie mix in a bag). I have a great job but most the time it takes a lot of coffee and resolve to get me to want to go back after being home for an hour. But yesterday was different. Knowing I had a plate of cookies on a homey red plate made me so happy and excited. I smiled the whole way to work and I felt like a child with a huge surprise. My co-workers loved the cookies which boosted me as well and helped me make it through the night.

So maybe today you are feeling discouraged. God has probably put at least one person in your life who could use some encouragement. Putting the focus on others and ultimately on Jesus changes everything.