Equipped

”Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen”
Hebrews 13:20-21

Photo by Joel Muniz on Unsplash

Ever had that moment in a conversation with a teenage girl where you weren’t sure how to respond? Maybe you couldn’t quite find the right words to respond in a way you thought would be beneficial. You might have had scriptures to share and words of encouragement to offer but somehow you still felt like it wasn’t enough. There just seemed to be a point in the conversation where you questioned if you were equipped to help them.

I have had those moments more times than I can count. I used to walk away from those conversations feeling like I didn’t do enough to help the girl. Sometimes I thought that I had completely failed. But through the years God has taught me a few things about those conversations. Now, these are the things I remind myself of when I begin a conversation with one of my girls. 

PRAY  

Ask God to speak through you when you talk with a young lady. Pray for the ability to respond to her and not react. Then listen to her and allow God to take it from there. What God wants them to hear is far better than any words we can come up with on our own.

LISTEN

Sometimes a girl just needs to be heard. She needs a woman who will listen to her and allow her to express all the emotions and thought going on in that moment. It’s the listening that enables us to know the best way to meet the need in the conversation. So, be a sounding board for her.

TRUST GOD

Trust that God will help you respond to the student with both grace and truth.  He will give you the truth she needs from His Word and the grace you need to share it in a way that she feels loved. Trust that the words God gives you are enough. Trust that no matter how the conversation ends God will use you.

KNOW YOUR LIMITS

Most of us are not licensed counselors. There will be things that a girl will deal with that you won’t have the answers for or the ability to help her overcome. The best thing we can do for her is acknowledging our limit in being able to help her. This puts her first and allows her to find the right person to help her. All you need to is just walk alongside her in that season and be a source of encouragement.

Remember that God didn’t call you because you were equipped. He equips you because you are called. God has and is continuing to equip you to lead the girls you serve. Trust Him and follow His lead. Keep sharing the truth and encouraging your girls in every conversation. Leave the outcome up to God.

In case no one has told you lately…

YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE!