"Your care for me has flourished again,
though you surely did care,but you lacked opportunity."
Philippians 4:10
Two Christian women were talking about all the problems in their lives. One said, "I'm depressed and I stay depressed. How could we not be depressed with everything that we have experienced. I'm just human." The other one said, "I know what you mean. Through it all, I've found only one way to get my mind off my problems. When I start caring for others with problems, I seem to be able to forget mine for awhile. Also, I have found people with problems that make mine look small. Caring for others always seems to help.
The apostle Paul wrote his letter of Philippians to thank others for caring for him during hard times. He recognized that they would have done so earlier, if they had the opportunity. Everyday God gives us opportunities to help others. It's a good way to cure our distress. We do find people with problems that far exceed our own. More importantly, it's an opportunity to demonstrate the love of God for others in practical ways. God just may use our care for others to touch their hearts and change their lives.
Do you have anxious care about a problem in your life? Do all that you can to resolve it. Pray for God's help. After you have done all you can, find someone else who has a problem and offer your help. Ask God to give you just the right opportunity. He will. It still may not solve your problem, but it will be an excellent distraction from your own difficulty. God will bless your action of caring for others.
Prayer: Father, give us an opportunity today to show Your love and care for others, through Christ Jesus. Amen.
