Growing Pains

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Romans 12:1 (NIV)

For a while now, I’ve felt God beckoning me farther out on the limb of faith and trusting Him. Letting myself being totally led by Holy Spirit. It’s a journey of deepening intimacy with our Father, getting to know His hear/sharing mine with Him, trusting that He’s speaking and I’m hearing, and stepping out in obedience when I feel His prompting.

Tuesday, at the end of Worship Track, we went to the square downtown for about an hour to worship. And the idea was to push us outside of our comfort zone. So I asked God, 

“What’s my position on this worship team?”

“Your the dancer.”

I’m the what?!?! Figures cause that’s the only thing I could think of that would be awkward and uncomfortable for me. So we got there, a couple people broke out guitars, and I more-or-less danced. I definitely had to make a conscience effort, but near the end of our time there, I heard my Father say, “I’m proud of you son”

Wednesday, driving to the gym, I’ve felt like God was telling me to go into this CVS and pray for someone. And that’s happened several times. So this time, after I got out of the gym, I stopped and went in. My “reason” was to use the ATM. Pulled out a little money, all the while asking, 

“Ok God, I’m here, what’s next?”

“Pray for the lady at the cash register”

So I got a Gatorade and went to check out. After I paid, I asked the lady if there was anything I could pray for her about. She thought for a moment and said no, that she prays alot, but she’ll always take more prayer. Since she didn’t say anything specific, I didn’t offer to pray for her on the spot. Looking back, I wish I would have. So I just wished her a blessed day and left. Get half way to my car and God’s like…

“Buy her flowers”

“Really. I just checked out….kinda don’t have alot of extra time now……. She’s really gonna think I’m weird now…… Was that really you God?”

“Yes son”

(groan) ……..(sigh)………”Ok Lord, here we go”

Went back in and bought some over-priced flowers. After I paid for them, I told her, 

“This might seem kinda weird, but I felt like God was telling me to buy these flowers for you as a reminder that Jesus loves you.” 

“Well thank you very much.”

She put them behind the counter and I left, for real this time. Got into the car and heard God say,

“I’m proud of you son. Not because of what you did, but because you trusted Me and had faith that I’m gonna use those flowers to remind her of how much I love her.”

God doesn’t need perfect people that have their crap together already. He’d be waiting for a while if He did. He’s looking for available people. Dying to our fleshly desires for control, finding our acceptance and affirmation from God, and prompt obedience aren’t always easy. But increased intimacy with our Father and seeing Him touch others with His love is a reward that far outweighs the temporary growing pains of the process. Hope those testimonies encourages and inspires you to trust and seek God more and go out on that limb you’ve wanted to walk out on, but still tend to chicken out on.