Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.”—Galatians 5:25 (NLT)
Have you ever happened to be in the right place at just the right time? It usually doesn’t hit you until you get in your car or arrive home that you are able to see God’s hand in orchestrating the timeline of the event.
This happened to me two weeks ago. I was checking out at the drugstore. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone I recognized checking out next to me. It was one of the instructors from the gym where I worked out before it closed over a year ago. I hadn’t seen her since it’s closing.
I don’t really know her that well, so I started to walk out the door. I felt this tug to turn back around and say, “hello,” to her, so I did. She asked if I knew her husband had passed away in July. I told her I had not heard and offered my condolences. I gave her hug and told her I would reach out to a mutual friend to set-up a lunch for the 3 of us.
As soon as I got in my car, I sent a text to that friend and told her what had transpired. She said she would love for us to all go to lunch but doubted she would join us. I really didn’t think much of it until the next morning.
After my quiet time, God laid the woman I had seen the prior day on my heart. I felt Him tell me, she needs a friend. I sent another text to our mutual friend telling her what God impressed on my heart and asked for the other woman’s contact information.
I sent a text letting her know that while it had been over 28 years since my first husband’s death, I did understand her grief and was here for her if she needed a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on. Of course, I am making a prayer shawl for her as well.
She did not make it to the lunch set-up for the three of us this past Tuesday, so I stopped by her home on my way home. After my visit, I prayed, Lord, She is so sad. I am not sure what You want me to do.
The following morning as I was praying that same prayer, God gave me the words, I will equip you. This did give me some anxiety. However, God has equipped me with His Word each day to share with her through one of my daily devotion books, Jesus Listens. I snap a screenshot of it along with a text to let her know how I am praying for her that day.
This is how He is equipping me and using me to minister to a grieving widow. I can’t take away her pain or problems, but I can share with her that God sees her and loves her unconditionally. Words of hope are what I feel like God is providing for me to give her.
You see, when the Holy Spirit prompts us to do something as minor as turning back to say, “Hello,” to someone, He has a plan. God is never going to ask us to do something and not help guide us. I don’t think it was a coincidence that I ran into her at the drugstore that day. I see it as a Divine Appointment. Only God could make sure I was at that check-out counter at the exact time she was. As soon as I heard she was widowed, He knew my heart would be pricked to reach out to her.
I don’t need to know the details about how God wants to use me, but I think everyone needs a friend praying for them, and that could be my purpose in all of this….being a prayer warrior for her. Sometimes that may be all God is asking us to do.
What initially gave me anxiety, turned to peace when I realized, God wasn’t asking me to save her from her despair. I know I can’t do that. He is using me to share the light of Jesus with her each morning through His Word.
You never know how God can use you to be a glimmer of hope in someone’s dark day. I could have easily walked out of that drugstore without acknowledging someone that God had intentionally put in my pathway. I feel like God was asking me to do talk to her so that He could show His intentions on how He was going to use me to share His love with someone who was hurting.
Father God,
Forgive me when I ignore Your nudges. I thank You for the Holy Spirit guiding and equipping me to speak words of life into those You put in my pathway. I ask for eyes and hearts to be receptive to where or who you are leading them to share Your love and hope. I lift those up to You who are in a pit of despair. Open their eyes to see glimmers of hope in their day. I pray these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.
February Verse
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” –Colossians 3:15
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