I have been praying and trying to minister to a friend on our football team for months. They are having a hard time and I am trying to show God's love to them. I have asked numerous times for them to come to church but she always has a reason not to come. I was a bit frustrated and wanting God to move and move now!
He was, just not the way I had planned. Imagine that.
We have another lady on our team that her husband is gone for a year in Iraq and my oldest son said, "Mom, why don't you invite her to church?" I guess I hadn't really thought about it. I was so intent on "working" on my other friend that I hadn't seen the obvious--that others needed our God too. So, thanks to Drew's prompting, we asked. She came and so did her three kids.
Needless to say, our pastor shared the salvation message and really hit on those who knew the Lord but had walked far away from Him. He asked for those who needed to come back to Him to come down front and pray with him. Within seconds my friend asked to go down front. I walked down with her. I was amazed at how God was working. It was not what I was thinking He was doing but He was definitely moving.
It was such a neat thing for me to realize that God is working in ways I didn't think or expect. Yet, He is moving mightily! He is so good to me to let me see a glimpse of what He is doing, even when it isn't what I had planned. I am still praying for my other friend and knowing God in some way is working in her heart too!
2 comments:
That is so great!!
I love this story! What a blessing for you.
Sometimes God works, and uses us, even when we aren't even paying attention.
My unfortunate part in one of those times was having a crabby day. I was in a very cranky mood. I went to church, waited until after worship started to go in, that way I could find a seat in the back, far away from anyone around me. But it was an extra crowded service, and I couldn't find any place to sit that was far from anyone. I finally found three empty chairs by the isle, and purposely sat in the middle of those three. Then I closed my eyes and looked forward to the moment in worship- alone- and to myself.
Then it happened; I heard a woman's voice..."excuse me, is anyone sitting here?". So I sighed and said no, she sat down next to me, and decided I would just draw into myself anyway and try to ignore the huge crowd pressing in all around me.
But I noticed in a couple minutes that lady who came in late and sat next to me was not singing along. Then I noticed tears in her eyes. After worship I introduced myself and she said she was visiting this church. She seemed surprised when she was told to open her Bible, so she asked an usher for a Bible. She fumbled around and didn't know where to find the book and verse we were told to open to. I showed her where it was. She cried on and off throughout the service. I prayed for her. It was clear she was in need of God and didn't know Him.
I felt like such a heel for being so anti-social and cranky that morning. When service ended, I talked with her for a few minutes and found out she was in a real hurtful time in her life. She said she wanted to go up front to ask for prayer and asked if I would go with her. We did, and during that prayer time she ended up accepting the Lord!
I went home on cloud 9, singing praises to God. That was the last thing I had ever expected that morning when I woke up self consumed and with a big black cloud following me around.
Oh Jesus, thank you for using me, even when I'm a dodo head, so that others can find salvation and glorify your name!
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