~By: Silvana Place~
“Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” Philippians 2:4-5 NLT
I remember coming out of a Bible study on the book of Mark a few years ago and praying a prayer for the Lord to make me interruptible. What I meant by that was for Him to help position my heart to be opened to the needs of those around me, even if it meant my plans taking a back seat. I asked Him to make me a better noticer of who He was placing in my path and to help me let go a bit of my own desires, plans, and even my schedule so that I could make the most of every opportunity He would bring my way and be able to discern when it was Him doing it. Basically, I was asking Him to help me be okay with being inconvenienced. Ouch!
And, boy has He provided opportunities to answer my prayer! I can’t say I have mastered my attitude or my obedience by any means, but what I can say is that when I have been obedient, I’ve watched Him turn moments into divine appointments. Those moments that may have seemed like inconveniences became opportunities to minister and love on people He had placed in my path. Sometimes I was even the recipient of the blessing of being loved on and ministered to. Those moments came about because I stopped and noticed.
We live in a culture that is fast-paced, self-consumed, and does not embrace the idea of stopping and noticing those around us. Truth is lost, and hurting people are all around us. Do we seize the opportunity to be Jesus’ hands extended, or do we walk right past it, consumed with all we have to ‘do’?
What if we actually stopped each day and simply asked the Holy Spirit to help us notice when He is allowing a God-ordained opportunity? What if we asked Him to shift our perspective so that we no longer see it as an inconvenience? How many more people could He touch, reach, and teach through us? The truth is, as a surrendered Christ-follower, you are the person God desires to use. We are His plan and His method to reach people. He just asks that we heed His calling and respond with obedience.
Holy Spirit, help us to acknowledge that our lives are not our own and that You have placed us here for such a time as this with a purpose. Help us to see that this purpose has a lot less to do with You just meeting our needs and wants, and so much more to do with You using us to reach and minister to and help meet the needs of others.
