Today I felt God tugging at my heart, whispering, “Daughter, pay attention. I’m teaching you something.” Sometimes I feel like I’m stumbling around trying to understand what it really means to walk out this faith that I love—this faith that feels like the most important truth in my life. But today, I was reminded again of the brokenness all around me and the small, powerful ways God invites us to make a difference.
Not long ago, I found myself confronted again by the pain and heartache in the world. It’s not that I’d forgotten; it’s just that sometimes the world throws it right in your face. Some weeks it seems like the struggle behind people’s smiles is more visible than usual. I can almost read the heartache tucked between their words or hear the tremble in someone’s voice long before the tears come. And in those moments, I feel this ache—frustration at my own helplessness, compassion for what others are going through, and this deep yearning to somehow be light in the middle of someone’s darkness.
Family members struggling.
Loved ones hurting.
Friends grieving.
Strained and broken relationships.
Physical and emotional pain.
Financial hardships that keep people awake at night.
Everyone has something. And while our struggles differ, pain doesn’t have a ranking system with God. Everything we carry matters to Him. I know this, but sometimes I wonder if other people know it too—if they realize how deeply seen they are by Him. Maybe that’s part of why my heart gets so stirred up. I want people to feel loved. I want them to feel cared for. I want them to somehow catch a glimpse of God’s compassion through the small things I do. But honestly… sometimes I’m so drained myself that I don’t know what difference I can even make.
Still, God keeps reminding me that sometimes the only thing we can do for someone is to simply be there. To sit with them in the silence. To listen without rushing to fix. To offer compassion even when we don’t fully understand.
But what else can I do? What else should I do?
I’ve been sitting with this question all week: How can I make a difference in someone else’s day? Not in giant, world-saving ways—but in small, faithful, meaningful ones. And maybe—just maybe—those little moments matter more than we realize.
So today I tried to unpack that question, and these three things kept coming to mind.
1) Smile
It feels silly writing it out, but I can’t help thinking about how powerful a simple smile can be. I wonder how often one person’s smile ends up being the best thing someone else sees all day. Something so small, but big in impact. So easy… yet so easy to forget.
Sometimes when I’m rushing, or stressed, or lost in my own world, I forget to look up. I forget to be present. I forget that my face might be the one reminder someone needs that there’s still kindness in the world.
I caught myself today at the grocery store, checking out with that little automatic frown I wear when I’m tired. Then the Holy Spirit nudged me. I raised my eyes and smiled at the cashier. She looked startled for a second—then she smiled back. And maybe it meant nothing. Or maybe, just maybe, she needed someone to look at her like she mattered.
Lord, teach me to choose joy even when my heart feels heavy. Help me remember that my countenance can carry Your light. “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).
Let my smile be strength for someone else.
2) Reach Out
This one is harder for me, if I’m honest. When someone is on my heart, I often intend to reach out… later. I’ll text them later. I’ll check in later. I’ll send that email later. And then? I forget. Not because I don’t care—God knows I care—but because I get distracted, or tired, or overwhelmed.
But I can’t help thinking about all the times I have received a message right when I needed it. Those moments when a friend says, “You were on my mind today,” and suddenly the whole world feels a little less dark. How many times have I whispered, “Lord, I needed that”?
I want to be that for others. I want to act when God nudges my heart.
Today as I was driving, someone came to mind, someone I hadn’t talked to in months. And I felt that familiar inner pull. So I reached out—just a simple message, nothing fancy. She replied within minutes, telling me she’d been having a really hard week and had prayed for encouragement just this morning.
Moments like that remind me: God uses us. Our words matter.
Lord, help me be obedient when You place someone on my heart. Let me not be so distracted that I miss the chance to love someone well. “Encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
Let me be a builder, not a bystander.
3) Pray
Prayer changes things. I know this. I believe this deeply. But sometimes praying feels like pouring water into dry soil that never seems to soften. Sometimes I pray and pray and pray… and nothing seems to shift. And I’ll be honest—those are the moments that frustrate me. Those are the moments I wonder if anything I’m doing is even helping.
But then God reminds me: Prayer isn’t just about outcomes. It’s about connection. It’s about surrender. It’s about trusting that when I bring someone’s name before God, He hears me. And not only does He work in their life—He works in mine too.
I think of the verse: “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16). I don’t always feel righteous, or powerful, or effective. But God never asked for perfection—just faithfulness. Just willingness.
So today, I prayed. I prayed for the hurting people around me. For healing. For peace. For restoration. For God’s comfort to meet them like warm sunlight after a long night. And maybe I’ll never know what those prayers accomplished—but God knows. And that’s enough.
Lord, teach me to pray boldly, faithfully, and consistently. Let my prayers be a lifeline for those who feel like they’re drowning. Let me trust in Your unseen work.
Tonight, as I write all this down, I keep thinking about the fruit of the Spirit:
“Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22–23)
This is who I want to be. This is the woman I want to grow into. Compassionate. Joyful. Kind. Soft-hearted but strong in faith. Isn’t that the kind of person who makes a difference in the world?
Sometimes I worry that my small offerings don’t matter. But maybe making a difference doesn’t always look like changing someone’s life—it might simply be changing their day. Giving them a moment of hope. A breath of peace. A reminder that they aren’t invisible and they aren’t alone.
And maybe that’s enough.
A Prayer for Today
Dear Lord,
Thank You for opening my eyes to the hidden burdens people carry. Thank You for stirring compassion in my heart even on the days when I feel tired and discouraged myself. Help me make a difference in someone’s day, even in ways that seem small to me. Teach me to smile with Your joy, reach out with Your prompting, and pray with Your strength.
Make my heart tender, my ears open, and my spirit willing. Let Your love flow through me, not because I’m strong, but because You are. Help me shine Your light in a world that feels so heavy with sorrow.
Amen.
So how can I make a difference in someone’s day?
By smiling.
By reaching out.
By praying.
Simple things. Small things. But maybe holy things too.
And tomorrow… I want to try again.
The Christian Tech-Nerd 