always ready

hello :) I just got done reading My Utmost for His Highest, and I thought I'd tell you what I learned. :)

It focuses on 2 Timothy 4:2:
Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. (emphasis mine)

Here's an excerpt of his devotion:
"If you make a god of your best moments, you will find that God will fade out of your life and never come back until you do the duty that lies nearest, and have learned to make a fetish out of your rare moments."




A friend of mine was telling me earlier how she feels like none of her friends care about her. She told me that she calls and checks on them regularly, if anything just to see how they are doing. But rarely do they call to see how she is or ask how her life is going. All this had gotten to weighing her down, and finally (out of frustration) she said, "I'm not doing it anymore."

Does that sound familiar?? Do you find yourself either doing a lot and never being reciprocated, or just getting tired of doing the right thing and seeing no results?? You may feel like giving up. Pulling back, focusing on yourself a little more. It's our natural tendency to do so, but Scripture tells us otherwise:
"Preach the Word of God...whether the time is favorable or not...Encourage your people with good teaching."

Timothy goes on to say in chapter 4 that if you do this, if you fight the good fight, a prize will be waiting for you when Christ comes back.
The crown of righteousness, which is the Lord.

If you are maybe struggling with this, please, keep on. It is worth it. I'm not going to promise you it'll make it easier, or your friends will suddenly care all about you, but you'll be doing what Christ has commanded by being Christ to them! You'll be storing up for yourselves treasures in heaven. 
And sometimes, when you do things and you get nothing back, it really brings you closer to Jesus. Because in those times, you're only doing the right things for him; you expect nothing from anyone else. 

Those are just some of my late-night thoughts. :)
I love you all!