CHOOSE TO BE PART OF GOD’S PROCESS
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.
1 Corinthians 3:6-8 NLT
TODAY’S THOUGHT
In God’s master plan to reach our world with the message of His love He has chosen to use ordinary people as part of the process. Often, we don’t know what stage of the process our responsibility is. One quick conversation may be part of planting seeds in someone’s heart. Another quick conversation may be the moment God is ready to bring in the harvest of seeds sown and watered for years.
Sometimes it can be frustrating when we have a conversation with someone, and it seems nothing changes. Those are the moments we need to remind ourselves we may be part of the planting or watering for that person. The timing of the harvest is up to God.
I am praying this year for what I call a “God-moment” every week outside of a church setting. I am asking the Holy Spirit to give me an opportunity each week to have a conversation about a spiritual topic with someone. This may be a seed planting, or it might be a watering, but rarely will it be a moment of harvest. It seems harvest moments are most frequently when someone decides to experience a worship service in a church building.
With this prayer in my mind, I am looking at every person I meet as if they might be my “God-moment” for this week. Whether it is the clerk checking me out at the store, the waitress at a restaurant, or someone at the gym—anyone could be placed there by God for me to be a part of His process of transformation in their lives.
Rarely does the conversation have to include a long dialogue about theology or quoting a bunch of Bible verses. Most frequently it is just showing interest in the person and finding a bridge for a conversation.
Jesus was great at finding brides for conversation. For the woman at the well Jesus talked about water and being thirsty. For fisherman Jesus talked about fishing for men. Jesus met people at the point of their interest to have a conversation that would lead to God’s work in their lives.
This means we must take time to ask questions and get to know what is important to people. Learn about them and we can find a bridge for conversation. Everybody likes to talk about something—football, grandkids, cars, etc. What are they interested in?
Just know that the best way to start a conversation is about something they like to talk about. Then from there you can ask the Holy Spirit to help you move in a spiritual direction.
Let’s choose to be a part of God’s process in the lives of others.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Holy Spirit help me to get out of my comfort-zone and learn to have conversations. Help me to be willing to ask questions and depend on You to plant seeds or water seeds that have been planted.
“Scroll down to share what you feel God is saying based on today’s reading.”
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