Content to Fill a Little Space
BY: KAYLA ANDREWS
When I first arrived at Hillsdale College as a newly-minted adult living independently for the first time, I was certain that I belonged at the college: the Lord had so clearly provided for me to be there. But during the next four years, I struggled to find my place within the broader Hillsdale community, especially my church community. I watched friends find their places quickly, but I still had not found the same deep sense of belonging that they had.
The summer always came and brought new challenges. I had to dance between two worlds: my world in North Carolina with my family, and my world in Hillsdale. Sometimes it felt as though I did not truly belong to either. The more I viewed Hillsdale as home, the more I longed to truly belong, especially at my church.
As I stumbled in the dance between my two worlds over those four years, I eventually learned that there is a strong connection between service and our sense of belonging to a place. As we serve others—as we fill the needs of others—we ourselves feel needed. And in being needed, we feel a sense of belonging. But sometimes I felt as though I did not have any ministry at my church in Hillsdale. Compared with the other women at my church, I did not have the money, or the kitchen, or the home, that they had to serve others. What needs could I fill as a single, dorm-living, fairly busy college student?
At one point, when I was particularly discouraged, a friend lovingly reminded me that there is such a thing as “the ministry of just showing up.” Tony Payne writes about this in his book, How to Walk into Church:
"One of the most important acts of love and encouragement we can all engage in is the powerful encouragement of just being there—because every time I walk into church, I am wearing a metaphorical t-shirt that says, “God is important to me, and you are important to me.” And on the back it says, “And that’s why I wouldn’t dream of missing this.” Similarly, when we stay away for no good reason one week out of three(or more), we send the opposite message. None of the important things God has for us to do in church each week can happen if we’re not there. We can’t love people; we can’t talk to them and encourage them; we can’t gather with them to listen together to God’s Word. All of this hangs on the rather simple prerequisite of actually being there. And so perhaps the most important thing you can do before you walk into church is simply to plan to show up—every week—unless some emergency intervenes." (36-37)
So, sister, be encouraged! If you are showing up at church, you do have a ministry there. Your faithfulness in something as simple as just showing up on Sunday is a ministry of encouragement to your pastor, your elders, and your fellow church members. As Payne points out, when we show up consistently, we begin to learn who in our churches needs encouragement, what they need, and how we can serve them.
Of course, none of this is possible if we do not begin by first showing up. During my junior year, I began to attend a ladies’ Bible study that met during the week at my church. I committed to attending regularly, and as I continued to “just show up,” I developed relationships with the women that led to more opportunities for ministry. I learned specific ways to pray for them during the week. I learned more about their children and found ways to serve through childcare and simple baking. And the more that I served my church in quiet, small ways, the more I felt as though I truly belonged.
As college students, in a temporary season of life, we may not have the resources that older women have, but we do have the opportunity to serve in small, quiet ways. Service can be difficult and draining, but when we serve, “content to fill a little space,” we begin to build meaningful homes and find a sense of true belonging.
