He's Got What I Need

When my friend called in tears, after suffering a terrible loss, I felt so sad and broken, as though I had nothing to offer to comfort her. Being thousands of miles away, I couldn’t even race to her side to let her cry on my shoulder. So I listened. I cried. I prayed and told her I’d be there for her, no matter what.

God constantly calls me outside of my comfort zone to be present, to love, to walk alongside those I love through all kinds of unknowns. To make the incredibly difficult phone call. To sit up alongside a hurting child, not knowing what do to ease her pain. Also to rejoice with family and friends about miracles happening in their lives.

I often feel as though I have almost nothing to offer in these moments. I can’t cure illness or solve relationships. I don’t have poetic words to speak. I can’t predict how my own day will unfold. Yet God calls me anyway, and in having nothing for my daily journey, He supplies all I need.

The story in today’s Gospel (Mark 6:7-13) isn’t the first time God called the Apostles to go forth and to take nothing. When He first called them, He asked that they leave everything, to follow Him with nothing. Perhaps God instructed the Twelve to take nothing on the journey so that they would have to fully rely upon Him.

Maybe it is the same for me. Every day He calls me, every day He sends me to witness to His love in my relationships. And when I feel like I have nothing much to give, perhaps it's because He knows that if I had more {expertise, tools, you name it} I'd be overconfident and forget to trust in Him. I'd forget to look to Him for the Way. I’d insist that “I’ve got this, God. I’m good.”

But I'm not, and I don't have the answers at all. So from my nothing, I call on Him to make up for what I lack, and lean in to His grace to lead me.

I don't have the answers at all. So from my nothing, I call on Him to make up for what I lack, and lean in to His grace to lead me.Click to tweet

Comforting the sorrowful is a Spiritual Work of Mercy. Do you know what the other six are?

Gina Fensterer is a Colorado native at heart, but the West Coast beach life suits her just fine. She currently lives in small coastal area of California with her husband and six children. She loves the Jesus prayer, coffee at any time of day, homemade salsa, photography, and sleepy toddler snuggles. You can find out more about her here.