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Missed It
by Steve Countryman What it means to be a Christian is how others see Christ in you. We are to impact our surroundings everywhere we go everyday. Not just when you feel like it or if you're feeling "super spiritual". It is what we are all called to do. But I'm no different than anyone else. I've missed God and those opportunities that have been placed in my path. It is too easy to get in a worldly rut. Your actions, reactions and spoken words all fall into the common responses that we hear others do and say. Those empty noncommittal phrases that show some caring without involvement. "I hope you get better soon." "Well hang in there and before you know it things will get better." And a dozen other such worthless phrases. Then there are those times when you know the other person is a Christian or goes to your church so you say things like "I'll keep you in my prayers." "I'll pray that you get an answer to your prayers soon." "You know God has a plan for you to get through this." All of which sounds good and shows some caring but has no spiritual "bite" and lacks your personal involvement and Holy Ghost power! I have prayed, as I'm sure you have too, and asked God to use me to be a blessing to others. To use me to touch others for God and His kingdom. To be guided and used by the Holy Spirit to bless people and bring my God glory through it. God will answer those prayers! One day recently at work, I had the occasion arise three times to pray for someone all in the span of about one hour and I failed to do so. Three different people with three different problems and I missed it! The Holy Spirit pointed them out to me later. I had missed the opportunity, I had missed the timing and I had missed God! Yes it involves you getting out of your comfort zone to pray for someone's healing and deliverance. "What if that person doesn't want me to pray for them?" First, keep in mind that most people who are hurting will tell others about it hoping for something beyond a sympathetic ear. Besides if they say no then you're off the hook. Most likely they will say yes and now it's your turn to allow your God to do the impossible in that person's life. "What if God doesn't heal them right then?" It may require that they have to let go of something that they have been holding onto. Or some un-forgiveness in their life. Maybe their healing will take time to be completed. No matter what the outcome is, just by your willingness to step out in faith and pray and declare God's Word over them means that you have planted a seed in their life. By ignoring them you are treating them as the world does. By not praying right then for those who are hurting you deny God the opportunity to heal them or answer their prayers. You end up denying the power of Jehovah God and his ability to deliver them. By doing nothing is the loudest way of telling others that your God is not big enough or powerful enough to handle their problems. That the awesome God you claim to serve is worthless and uncaring. James 4:17 "If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn't do it, it is sin for them." Sin of omission. It is the one sin that all Christians commit the most often. God forgive us! John 14:12 "I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father." It will happen everywhere every day. In the middle of the store as you are waiting to check out. When you're sitting in the doctor's office waiting to see the doctor. When you go out to lunch with some friends. Those opportunities exist now but we have turned off our spiritual ears. It only happens through each one of us. It's not waiting for God to do something when He is waiting for us to do something, to step out and step up. Pray and ask God to have the Holy Spirit lead and guide you as those opportunities arise. Ask the Holy Spirit to point those opportunities out to you every time you miss it. Praying for others at every opportunity everywhere should become habit with us Christians instead of the exception. When the day comes when you stand before your God and have to give an account for what you did and didn't do here on earth, how will you explain why you missed it? Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |