The Lord’s Desire for 2021
By Jake Kelly
University of Georgia | Class of 2022 | Business Management and Entertainment & Media Studies | UGA Chapter, Director of Fundraising and Outreach
It’s simple for us to look to 2021 regarding our own futures. As a college student, I find myself stressing career direction, coursework, and my status among others far more often than I would like to comfortably admit. In saying that, I find my headspace cluttered with short-term fixes that the world has to offer rather than aligning my heart with what the Lord desires. I would think that I wouldn't be the only one, so just for a second, let’s imagine a world with a Christ-centered mindset. A world in which every brother and sister long for a true relationship with their creator. The Lord wishes for us to know Him intimately so that we can grow in faith and develop a better knowledge of the eternal perspective. Rather than fixing our hearts on temporary actions that are of no service to the Lord, pray with the goal to align our desires with that of God's. The Lord has provided us all with gifts and skills that can be of great benefit to His work furthering the kingdom. When setting our eyes on what the future holds, I hope that we imagine what God hopes for prior to our own.
Community in Charity
Simple Charity has served as a refuge and home for the colleges that it represents. A safe space for Christians to empower others to bring out the Holy Spirit in us all. While all of us desire a heart for Jesus, we fall short of the kingdom more than we would be proud to share. The organization longs for us to set our heart towards a life of giving selflessly with an understanding of eternal perspective. 1 Timothy 6:6-7 “But Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” This verse reflects the hearts of those who understand the message of what Simple Charity aims for. In my five years with the organization, I’ve truly come to believe how crucial it is for us to place ourselves among brothers and sisters that know this verse to be true and are willing to live by it. Our daily practices of charity, love, and solidarity reflect our relationship with Christ. Doing life with other Christians in organizations like Simple Charity enables us to further the kingdom and motivate others to live through the word.
Our Calling
We are not called to hoard our time, money, and resources because they are far from ours. This belief can be undermined when college students like myself seek temporary satisfaction over the eternal bliss that Jesus offers. Jesus invites us to a meaningful life that works to spread the Gospel. Simple Charity acts as a catalyst for others to understand God’s love and grace. Our participation in His calling leads us to act in a righteous manner, spreading the same grace that He has granted us. Keeping in mind that we cannot serve two masters may be hard, although God's wish for us to focus our actions solely on Him is a contribution to His mission. He hopes for a relationship with His children so that our desires align with His own.
2021
Pessimism is an easy mindset to feel when looking into what this year has to bring, although what we need to keep in mind is that Jesus’ love endures. Charity is our way of offering ourselves to further Jesus’ mission. Offerings of time, money, and resources are a byproduct of our faith rather than inflation of self. A heart that serves without return is a heart that belongs to God. Let us not look at our service as an opportunity to feed our egos, rather as work that can be done to shape a world that loves Christ. When looking forward to what 2021, I pray for communities to form with the intent of serving the Lord, a desire to give without any expectation of return, and that Simple Charity can continuously serve as a medium for what the Lord wishes.