Who Did Jesus Come to Help?

“The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.” Luke 4:18-19 (NKJV)

Do you ever wonder, Who should I spend my life helping? If you’re a follower of Jesus, the answer is simple: Live your life focused on the same people Jesus was focused on.

When he was just starting his public ministry, Jesus stood up in his local synagogue and read a passage from Scripture—what we call the Old Testament. That passage explained what Jesus’ ministry was all about: “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD” (Luke 4:18-19 NKJV).  

Jesus wants you to spend your life focusing on the same kinds of people he did. Here are the five types of people Jesus came to help—the same people he wants me to help as well.

First, Jesus helped the poor—which can mean many different things. Some people experience material poverty; they don’t have enough money to provide for their basic needs. Others are poor morally, not knowing or caring about the difference between right and wrong. And others are spiritually poor; they don’t know that Jesus died for their sins and wants to spend eternity with them in heaven.

Second, Jesus also came for the brokenhearted. Hearts break for all kinds of reasons—including disappointment, rejection, and resentment. But the Bible promises, “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted” (Psalm 34:18 NIV).

Third, Jesus came for the imprisoned—both those in literal, physical prisons and people in prisons of addiction, secrets, ignorance, and fear. He came proclaiming freedom for them—and that’s what he wants me to do too.

Fourth, Jesus came for the blind. Millions of people are physically blind—which can be a major challenge in some cultures. But Jesus also cares about things like relational and spiritual blindness, where people don’t have strong relationships with each other or with God.

Finally, Jesus came for the oppressed. Our world is full of people who are kicked around, taken advantage of, and put down. Countless people are affected by things like war, abuse and neglect, and even spiritual oppression. Jesus offered liberty to these people—and that’s what he expects from me as well.

The poor, brokenhearted, imprisoned, blind, and oppressed. These are the people Jesus cared for—and they’re who he wants me to care for.

In summary:

Jesus made His mission clear: He came to bring good news to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, free the captives, restore sight to the blind, and lift up the oppressed—and as His followers, we’re called to care about the same people. Whether someone is financially, morally, or spiritually poor; hurting from rejection or loss; trapped in addiction or fear; unable to see truth or build healthy relationships; or weighed down by injustice or oppression, Jesus moved toward them with compassion and freedom. His life sets the pattern for mine: to focus my time, energy, and love on those who are hurting, overlooked, or bound, extending the same hope and healing He offered.

Bottom line:

If I want to live like Jesus, I must focus my life on helping the hurting, the overlooked, and the oppressed—offering the same compassion and freedom He came to bring.

Next step:

I believe my next step is to prayerfully identify one hurting or overlooked person I can intentionally support this week—someone who is poor in spirit, brokenhearted, trapped, confused, or weighed down. Then take one concrete action: encourage, listen, pray with them, meet a need, or offer guidance. 

Managing Stress by Learning to Listen to God

“Jesus often slipped away to be alone so he could pray.” Luke 5:15-16 (NCV)

In a world of constant pressure and stress, prayer is like a spiritual decompression chamber.

Jesus knew that. When I read the Gospels, I see him—over and over again—leaving the stress of his everyday life and going off by himself to pray. Mark 1:35 says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (NIV).

And the next verse shows that this was Jesus’ habit: “News about Jesus spread even more. Many people came to hear Jesus and to be healed of their sicknesses, but Jesus often slipped away to be alone so he could pray” (Luke 5:15-16 NCV).

If Jesus felt the need to pray and be with God, how much more do I need that? “But I’m too busy to spend a lot of time in prayer,” I think. The truth is, I'll have nothing to give to others if I don’t take time to let God fill me up.

The Bible says, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 NCV). It’s in regular, quiet time with God in prayer that he recharges, renews, and restores you. And the busier I get, the more I need this time.

So how do I make space in my life to listen to God? 

First, I need to be quiet for an extended period of time. Find somewhere outside or in a quiet corner of my home. Then sit and ask, “God, is there anything you want to say to me?” And then just be still and listen.

God might bring an idea to mind. Or he might prompt you to read a passage of Scripture and speak to me that way.

If I have trouble focusing while praying because you’re worried about something. Instead of focusing on what I'm worried about, let God direct me to a passage of Scripture that addresses my worry, and then focus on that Scripture instead.

God wants to talk to me. He just needs me to put aside the demands of daily life and take time to listen to him!

In summary:

Jesus modeled how to handle life’s constant pressures by regularly withdrawing to quiet places to pray and reconnect with God. Despite his busy ministry and endless demands, he made time for solitude and communion with the Father—showing that spiritual strength flows from stillness. If Jesus needed that time, I need it even more. When I pause to be still, listen, and let God refill me, He renews my strength, restores my peace, and realigns my focus. The busier life becomes, the more essential it is to slow down, make space for God’s voice, and let prayer become my place of restoration and clarity.

Bottom line:

To handle life’s pressures with peace and clarity, I must regularly step away from the noise, spend time in prayer, and let God refill and renew my spirit.

Next steps:

My next step is to build a consistent rhythm of quiet connection with God—set aside a specific time each day, even 10–15 minutes, to step away from distractions, be still, and pray. Use that time not just to talk, but to listen—ask God what He wants to show me or shape in me. I might also create a simple “renewal space”—a chair by a window, a spot outdoors, or even a quiet corner—where I can regularly meet with Him. As I make this a habit, I’ll notice greater peace, clarity, and strength flowing into the rest of my day.

The Freedom of a Focused Life

“I know where I came from and where I am going.” John 8:14 (NIV)

For many people, modern-day life is fast-paced and pressured. But I can find the antidote for modern stress in an ancient book? Open up the Bible and read about the life of Jesus. He faced near-constant stress but handled it with peace—because he knew his calling and he concentrated his life around it.

Jesus said, “I know where I came from and where I am going” (John 8:14 NIV).

What about me? Do I know what God has called me to do? All of us are called by God. He put me on earth for a certain task, and he SHAPEd me to be able to fulfill that task. He’s given me a unique combination of Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences.

God doesn’t want me to be driven by the pressure of the world around me. He wants me to be driven by his purpose for me—by my calling. The apostle Paul said, “I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received” (Ephesians 4:1 NIV).

Once I’ve figured out my calling, I need to concentrate on it—to focus on what matters most. 

It’s easy to get distracted and busy—to fill my life with good things rather than the best things. But Jesus knew that a powerful life is a focused life. The Living Bible paraphrase says it this way: “As the time drew near for his return to heaven, he moved steadily onward toward Jerusalem with an iron will” (Luke 9:51).

And Paul said it like this: “This one thing I do . . .” (Philippians 3:13 KJV). He didn’t say, “These 40 things I dabble in.” He said, “This one thing I do.” That’s focus.

Both Jesus and Paul understood this idea: Diffused light has very little power, but focused, concentrated light has enormous power. Light focused through a magnifying glass can burn paper; light focused as a laser can cut through steel.

If I'm finding myself feeling stressed out today, it may be because my life is unfocused. Take the time to discern my calling and then concentrate my life around it. I'll find that my stress will decrease and my effectiveness in life will increase!

In summary:

Jesus lived with peace and purpose even amid constant pressure because He knew exactly who He was, where He came from, and where He was going. In the same way, I can reduce stress and live with greater focus by discovering and committing to the calling God designed me for. He uniquely SHAPEd me—through my Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences—to fulfill a specific purpose. When I let God’s purpose, not the world’s pressure, drive my life, I move from distraction to direction. Like Jesus and Paul, who lived with intentional focus, I can experience greater peace and power by centering my life on “this one thing” God has called me to do.

Bottom line:

Clarity of calling brings focus, and focus brings peace—when I align my life with God’s purpose, stress fades and effectiveness grows.

Next step:

My next wisest step is to clarify and articulate my God-given calling in one clear statement—a sentence that captures why I do what I do and who I'm called to serve. Then, align my daily priorities with that calling by identifying one or two areas where my time or energy is diffused and begin simplifying or delegating them. This will create margin for what matters most and allow me to live with the peace, focus, and purpose that reflect both my leadership calling and my desire to influence others with intentionality and faith.

Identity Anchored in Purpose

“I am not trying to do what I want, but only what he who sent me wants.” John 5:30 (GNT)

Jesus lived his life under constant stress. People were always following him—wanting him to heal them or teach them, or worse, trying to trap him and even kill him. Yet, if I look at his life in the Bible, he didn’t seem to be bothered by it. He never even seemed to be in a hurry. He handled all the pressure with peace.

I want to learn how to do that. Over the next few days, I'll look at secrets to stress management from the life of Jesus. If I do these things, my stress will go down and my joy and fulfillment will go up.

First, to reduce my stress, I need to know who I am. My family, peers, and culture will try to make me into somebody I'm not if I don’t know who God made me to be. And a confused identity causes stress.

Jesus knew exactly who he was. He defined himself over and over again, saying things like, “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6 NIV), “I am the door” (John 10:9 ESV), and “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35 NIV).

When I don’t know who I am, I tend to copy and compare. I try to be someone I'm not—or I feel inferior because I'm measuring myself against someone else.

But God made me to be me—with my own unique set of strengths and weaknesses. There’s nobody else like me in the whole world. I have a unique thumbprint, footprint, eyes, and voice. God never makes copies. I'm it!

Once I know who I am, I also need to know who I'm living for. When I don’t know who I'm living for, I try to please everybody. That leads to enormous stress because no one can please everyone!

Jesus knew who he was living for: “I am not trying to do what I want, but only what he who sent me wants” (John 5:30 GNT).  

When I'm living for an audience of One, that simplifies life—and greatly reduces stress—because my only job is to do what God made me to do.

Do I want to live like Jesus, with less stress and more peace? Then I need to know who I am and who I'm living for!

In summary:

Jesus lived under constant pressure yet remained peaceful and unhurried because he was clear about his identity and purpose. He knew exactly who he was and who he was living for—focused solely on doing the will of the One who sent him. In contrast, when I’m unsure of who I am, I tend to copy, compare, or seek approval from others, which only adds stress. God designed each person uniquely, with no duplicates, so trying to be someone else leads to confusion and dissatisfaction. True peace and reduced stress come from embracing who God made me to be and living for an audience of One—aligning my life with His purpose rather than the expectations of others.

Bottom line:

Knowing who I am and living to please God—not others—is the key to lasting peace and freedom from stress.

Next Step:

Set aside intentional time with God to reaffirm my identity and purpose in Him—quiet the noise of expectations, reflect on who He says I am, and realign my daily choices with that truth. From that place of clarity, simplify my focus: choose one area where I've been striving to please others or overextending myself, and consciously release it to God. This will help me live more peacefully, purposefully, and authentically aligned with my calling.

Blessed to Bless Others

“All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.” Acts 2:44-45 (NIV)

No one sacrificed like the early church. In Acts 2:44-45, the Bible says, “All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need” (NIV).

These early Christians didn’t just give their money. They were generous with everything they had. When they saw a need, they did whatever they had to do to meet it—and at their own expense. There was a spirit among them of awareness and concern that led to selfless and sacrificial generosity. I could say they were radically generous.

And they didn’t give grudgingly. The Bible also says, “They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:46-47 NIV).

People noticed this radical way of living, of freely giving to meet the needs of others. The joy the early church found in generous giving drew many more people into God’s family.

What would happen through our churches today if we were just as radically generous? The Bible says I'm a steward—or manager—of all that God has given me. I'm responsible to use my resources in a way that impacts the kingdom.

God doesn’t just give me resources for my own enjoyment. He wants me to make a difference in the world around me. God never blesses me just so I can take care of myself. He blesses me so I can bless others.

That’s a hopeful and encouraging truth to remember all year long, because generosity isn’t something we only display at Thanksgiving or Christmas. It’s a way of life, and it’s even more impactful when the church practices it together.

So I need to find ways to be radically generous so I can make an eternal impact on the people in my church, in my community, and in the circles where God has placed me.

In summary:

The early church modeled radical generosity, willingly sharing everything they had to meet the needs of others. Their giving went far beyond money—it was a lifestyle of selfless love, unity, and joy that drew people to God. As stewards of God’s blessings, I am called to live the same way: to use my resources not for my own comfort, but to make an eternal impact on others. True generosity isn’t seasonal—it’s a daily expression of gratitude and faith that reflects God’s heart and advances His kingdom.

Bottom line:

Radical generosity—giving selflessly to meet others’ needs—is how believers reflect God’s heart, strengthen community, and make an eternal impact.

Next steps:

Look for one tangible way today to practice radical generosity — meet a need, share a resource, or give time to someone who could use encouragement or support. Make it a habit to pause and ask, “Who can I bless today with what God’s given me?” Over time, my consistent generosity will not only meet needs but also point others toward God’s love and grace.

Practicing the Presence of God

“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 (NLT)

The Bible makes it very clear how I should be praying. It tells me to “pray all the time” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 MSG).

That probably seems impossible to a lot of people. Many people find it hard enough to remember to pray at set times during the day, like at meals or at bedtime or during a consistent quiet time.

How is it possible to pray all the time? One way is to use “breath prayers” throughout the day, as many Christians have done for centuries. I choose a brief sentence or a simple phrase that can be repeated to Jesus in one breath: “You are with me.” “I receive your grace.” “I’m depending on you.” “I want to know you.” “I belong to you.” “Help me trust you.”

I can also use a short phrase of Scripture: “For me, to live is Christ.” “You will never leave me.” “You are my God.”

Pray it as often as possible so it is rooted deep in my heart. Just be sure that I'm motivated to honor God, not trying to manipulate him into doing my own bidding. Breath prayers can lead me into a deeper sense of God’s presence and care, if I let them.

Practicing drawing near to God is a skill; it’s a habit I can develop. Just as musicians practice scales every day to play beautiful music with ease, I can learn how to think about God at different times in my day. I can train my mind to remember God.

At first I will need to create reminders to regularly bring my thoughts back to the awareness that God is with me in that moment. Begin by placing visual reminders around me. I could post little notes that say, “God is with me and for me!”

If I am seeking an experience of his presence through all of this, I'll have missed the point. I don’t praise God to feel good but to do good. My goal is not a feeling but a continual awareness that God is always present.

That is the lifestyle of worship through prayer. That is how I can pray all the time.

In summary:

Galatians 2:20 emphasizes that living a life of continual prayer is possible by cultivating constant awareness of God’s presence. Rather than limiting prayer to specific times, I can connect with God throughout the day through short “breath prayers”—simple phrases like “You are with me” or “Help me trust you.” These small acts keep my heart aligned with Him and deepen my relationship over time. Like practicing a skill, developing this habit requires intentional reminders and consistent effort. The goal isn’t emotional experience but a lifestyle of worship—living each moment with the awareness that Christ lives in me, guiding my thoughts, actions, and trust.

Bottom line:

Living in constant awareness of God’s presence transforms ordinary moments into worship. Prayer isn’t confined to set times—it’s an ongoing relationship where every breath becomes an opportunity to trust, connect with, and depend on Christ.

Next step:

Practice presence through simplicity — choose one short “breath prayer” (like “I trust You” or “You are with me”) and repeat it throughout your day. Let it draw my focus back to God in ordinary moments, helping me stay grounded, peaceful, and purpose-driven no matter what comes my way.

Quiet Time: The Secret to Clarity

“Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.” Matthew 6:6 (MSG)

I won't be able to hear God speaking if my life is full of noise. I’ve got to get alone, and I’ve got to be quiet. Many people call this a quiet time.

In The Message paraphrase, Jesus says it like this: “Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.”

There’s something critical to realize about hearing God speak and getting his vision for my life: He wants to meet with me. In fact, in Jeremiah 33:3 it says, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (NIV).

I may feel like I'm waiting on God—but often, God is waiting for me. He created me for a relationship, and he loves it when I spend time with him. He longs to be part of my everyday life, like a regular appointment on my calendar. God is patient, he’s always ready to meet with me.

But getting alone in a quiet place can be pretty difficult in today’s world. Most people don’t realize how noisy their surroundings really are. Every waiting room, grocery store, and elevator has music. There are very few places in life that are actually quiet.

And with kids at home, it’s even more difficult! Be desperate for it. Make time to be quiet and meet with the Lord.

In summary:

To truly hear God’s voice and sense His grace, I must step away from the noise and distractions of life and spend quiet, honest time alone with Him. Jesus taught the importance of finding a secluded place where I can be still, shift my focus from myself to God, and open my heart to His presence. God longs for that time with me—He’s not distant or unavailable but waiting patiently for me to call on Him so He can reveal His wisdom and direction. Though finding silence can be challenging in a noisy world, making space to meet with God daily deepens my relationship with Him and will bring clarity to my life.

Bottom line:

To truly hear God and experience His grace, I must intentionally create quiet, undistributed moments to be alone with Him—because He’s always ready to meet with me when I slow down and listen.

Next step:

My next wisest step is to schedule intentional quiet time today—even if just 5 minutes—to disconnect from distractions and reconnect with my purpose. Use that space to listen, reflect, and realign my heart with God’s direction for my leadership and mission. This stillness will not only refresh my spirit but also bring clarity to my next move in both coaching and influence.