On Loving People

Lately I've come to the realization that God has been putting certain people in my life to minister to and I didn't even know he was doing it. It's a funny thing about walking with Jesus. He marks our steps so that his perfect will is carried out and we don't necessarily know that we're being used at all. At least I haven't. I've been learning since being home the last couple days how Jesus has loved and is loving people through me. I'd say it's a good thing that I didn't know it until now or I may have been hasty to give myself a pat on the back for the "good works" I'm doing. But I must say that it is only God who has arranged for these relationships in my life. And I have benefited greatly from them as well. It has brought me great joy and a deep-rooted passion for people that I may normally despise.
With each step I take I am more and more convinced that He wants nothing more than my heart. He wants my unending devotion to Him and his love. He works everything else out on His own. What freedom I have found in that, knowing that our only responsibility is to bring our hearts to Him. I don't have to strive to be any kind of Christian other than one who loves God with everything. It's difficult to know exactly what that means, but I suppose that's why He gives us the grace of a process.