Missed Opportunity
Ever have times in your life when someone shares something with you that inspires you to want to do the same? Or at least try? That was me this week. Monday night our church had it's IF table discussion. It's not really a Bible study - but where woman join together to have fellowship and answer/discuss the conversation cards that are provided. This month's questions were:
Who are the people God used in your life to point you to Him?
Who are the people who prayed for you?
Share a recent answer to prayer.
What do you find most challenging about prayer?
Share your "four by faith" - the four people you will be praying for to come to faith.
We had some great conversation. Well when we got to the last question our conversation turned from just sharing our "four by faith" into being more bold in our own faith - all the time and everywhere no matter what. One lady shared that she had offered to pray with a complete stranger. How this was completely out of her character and comfort zone to do that, but she felt compelled to do it and how amazing the experience was. I was so inspired and challenged by her and thought I want to do that. I want to be that bold for Jesus. I just need to look for opportunities to do that - or at least pay more attention and take advantage of the opportunities that come my way.
So fast forward to Wednesday. I was having a conversation with a lady. She was sharing with me some hard things that were happening in her life. As she spoke I could feel God nudge me - "here you go Tami, here is your opportunity you were looking for." I kept listening to her. But the more I listened the louder God's voice became. It was so loud I seriously thought the lady I was listening to was going to hear Him speaking to me also. I was sitting down at the time but had I been standing I am pretty sure that God's nudging would have pushed me over! I haven't had that kind of nudging in a long time. Then I heard Him saying "offer to pray with her or at least tell her that you will be praying for her and her situation." And then there it was..... she asked me - "what am I going to do?" I thought ok Lord, I'm going to do it - you gave me this opportunity - I hear your voice and you are nudging me so hard I'm about ready to fall out of my seat. And then I opened my mouth and my response was, "I don't know!" WHAT?!? No, no, no, no that's not what I meant to say. Those weren't the words that were to come out of my mouth. WAIT. Can I get a redo? I felt horrible. Almost like the feeling when a kid has just disobeyed their parent. And that was exactly how I felt. I was disobiedent to what God was telling me to do. But why? Why didn't I offer to pray? Or at least tell her I would pray for her? What held me back from being so bold like we had just talked about two days before? Fear! It gets me in trouble EVREY time! Fear of how she would respond. Fear of stepping on her toes. Fear of rejection. I was a complete coward. I didn't think about how it would bless her. Or maybe even bring her some comfort knowing someone cares during her trying times. Instead I decided to ignore God's persistent nudging and forgo my opportunity he had generously given me. When the gal left me I ended up feeling completely defeated. I decided right then that since I had failed to be so bold in my faith I was going to make this gal one of my "four by faith." That even though I didn't offer to pray with her, I was going to pray for her anyway. And maybe just maybe God would give me another opportunity to be more bold in my faith.
So how are you being bold in your faith? I would love to hear what you are doing. Are you offering to pray with others? Are you showing people who Jesus is by your words and/or actions? Do you stand out in a way that people want what you have - the love of Jesus in your heart? And if you aren't living your life bold in your faith, why not? What's holding you back? I'll be the first to say it isn't easy to live bold all day every day. But I'm trying and I don't want to have anymore missed opportunities!
Who are the people God used in your life to point you to Him?
Who are the people who prayed for you?
Share a recent answer to prayer.
What do you find most challenging about prayer?
Share your "four by faith" - the four people you will be praying for to come to faith.
We had some great conversation. Well when we got to the last question our conversation turned from just sharing our "four by faith" into being more bold in our own faith - all the time and everywhere no matter what. One lady shared that she had offered to pray with a complete stranger. How this was completely out of her character and comfort zone to do that, but she felt compelled to do it and how amazing the experience was. I was so inspired and challenged by her and thought I want to do that. I want to be that bold for Jesus. I just need to look for opportunities to do that - or at least pay more attention and take advantage of the opportunities that come my way.
So fast forward to Wednesday. I was having a conversation with a lady. She was sharing with me some hard things that were happening in her life. As she spoke I could feel God nudge me - "here you go Tami, here is your opportunity you were looking for." I kept listening to her. But the more I listened the louder God's voice became. It was so loud I seriously thought the lady I was listening to was going to hear Him speaking to me also. I was sitting down at the time but had I been standing I am pretty sure that God's nudging would have pushed me over! I haven't had that kind of nudging in a long time. Then I heard Him saying "offer to pray with her or at least tell her that you will be praying for her and her situation." And then there it was..... she asked me - "what am I going to do?" I thought ok Lord, I'm going to do it - you gave me this opportunity - I hear your voice and you are nudging me so hard I'm about ready to fall out of my seat. And then I opened my mouth and my response was, "I don't know!" WHAT?!? No, no, no, no that's not what I meant to say. Those weren't the words that were to come out of my mouth. WAIT. Can I get a redo? I felt horrible. Almost like the feeling when a kid has just disobeyed their parent. And that was exactly how I felt. I was disobiedent to what God was telling me to do. But why? Why didn't I offer to pray? Or at least tell her I would pray for her? What held me back from being so bold like we had just talked about two days before? Fear! It gets me in trouble EVREY time! Fear of how she would respond. Fear of stepping on her toes. Fear of rejection. I was a complete coward. I didn't think about how it would bless her. Or maybe even bring her some comfort knowing someone cares during her trying times. Instead I decided to ignore God's persistent nudging and forgo my opportunity he had generously given me. When the gal left me I ended up feeling completely defeated. I decided right then that since I had failed to be so bold in my faith I was going to make this gal one of my "four by faith." That even though I didn't offer to pray with her, I was going to pray for her anyway. And maybe just maybe God would give me another opportunity to be more bold in my faith.
So how are you being bold in your faith? I would love to hear what you are doing. Are you offering to pray with others? Are you showing people who Jesus is by your words and/or actions? Do you stand out in a way that people want what you have - the love of Jesus in your heart? And if you aren't living your life bold in your faith, why not? What's holding you back? I'll be the first to say it isn't easy to live bold all day every day. But I'm trying and I don't want to have anymore missed opportunities!
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