Yesterday I went to Starbucks on my break at work. I sat down next to a woman and man chatting about polictics. I had my head phones in listening to worship music, but could still hear them. A little while later, the man leaves and the woman moves to where he was sitting, which happened to be right beside me. It was on one of those bench things that have two tables next to each other. I looked up and tried to make eye contact because I really sensed the Lord wanting to do something and I felt His heart for this woman. (Earlier in her conversation with the man she mentioned being anti-religious and the man did as well and of course that is what caught my attention)
This may surprise some of you, but I'm also anti-religious. I do consider myself a christian; however I prefer to be called a follower of Jesus Christ. After all, christians do believe in the Bible and the main person in the Bible whom we study is Jesus himself. And we do base our faith on Him dying and raising from the dead. I want to acknowledge this because it is important in the motive of my heart in stepping out in faith and representing Jesus and His love for people. Although I've been a christian my entire life, and was born-again 4 years ago, in the last couple of years my life has been transformed by the love of God and I've come to a greater understanding that it's not all about the "spiritual stuff" on the to-do list, but it's about loving Jesus and loving others. Afterall, that is the first and second greatest commandments in the Bible. "And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. The second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these" Mark 12:30-31
Anyways, so I didn't even have to do anything because this woman quickly felt comfortable talking my ear off. :) Having my headphones in wasn't going to stop her! hehe She began sharing how she knows you can hear all conversations at coffee shops even if you try not to, and she shared how she always talks politics with that guy and so forth. Then somehow she began to share her life story with me. It was incredible. She's 39. She used to be way up in the executive world as business woman. She broke up with her ex-boyfriend 6 years ago and never really dealt with it because of so much stuff and quick transitions. She had a stroke 5 years ago. And that followed by a minimum of 5 blood clots. The doctors told her she is the second patient who has survived such a stroke in the 27 years he has been a doctor. She is literally a walking miracle. She had to re-learn how to use both arms and fine motor skills. She had to learn how to walk again. She had to basically start over due to such tragic health issues, which came about so suddenly and unexpectedly. She shared what she gained from it- a new perspective on life, to not take even one moment for granted, to have a good attitude and be thankful. Then I asked her what her biggest challenge was from this whole thing as well as her biggest current challenge. She said the hardest thing for her was she felt like she lost a big sense of her identity. She used to exercise very often and be in great shape. She can't even get on a tredmill because her core is "messed up" as she described how she can't walk more than 50 feet because her left knee is in such horrible pain. That was her biggest challenge as of now. (Can you imagine going through all of this?!? Or listening to it. I felt God's heart for this woman and also felt He saved her so He must have a big plan for her life) And this is when the opportunity arose for me to step out in faith...
I told her that I heard them talking anti-religion and although I am a christian I am also anti-religious. I simply told her that the last couple years I came to understand more about Jesus His heart only love. I said, I believe that God is able to heal her knee and asked if she would be willing to let me pray for her. I shared how I prayed for a blind man in Africa, whose sight was restored, and I've seen people with different lengths of legs grow out to be the same length simply through a prayer. She was in awe and said sure. Then I asked if I could place my hands on her knee that has had the pain and she said yes. So, I began to pray and ask that Jesus touch her and heal her knee and I commanded all the pain to go in the name of Jesus. (It's really that simple!) I also thanked God for letting me meet her and for her joy and great attitude. After praying, I asked her how she felt and she said a little better. I then asked her if she felt anything while I was praying for her and she said "I actually felt it tingling while your hand was on it". I was so excited because this is a sign of the Holy Spirit which meant that God was doing something in her knee while I was praying. She kept saying, "that was so bizzare". haha Then I asked her how she will know if the pain is completely gone and she said when she leaves and walks on it. She didn't do that before I left but I walked away believing her knee was completely healed. I thanked her for letting me pray for her and said that I just love Jesus and want people to see His love through me and she said "I can totally see it in you". I asked if I could give her a hug and she said "yes, of course, you're so sweet" and then I went back to work.
The neat thing is that I haven't stepped out in faith like this on my own without being part of a ministry (like His Hands and Feet Christian Ministry) or out on the mission field when we are required to step out in faith and offer prayer for people. I knew that my stepping out in faith was not limited to a "missions trip" and I also knew that God's desire is for people in America just as it is for people in Africa to know His love. And I know that I carry His love. So I can walk in confidence that God's love will shine through me like it did yesterday towards this woman. And, the biggest thing that was hindering me from stepping out in faith previously like this had been fear of man. I was worried that God would not meet me when I asked for healing for someone and they wouldn't get healed. With that fear came something even deeper. I was concerned that if I stepped out in faith and prayed for someone, they didn't get healed, now they would perceive God the opposite of what I was intending to perceive Him as. They might question why God didn't heal them. They might be more closed off to God. But then God reminded me that it is not my responsibility how people respond to their situation and healing towards God. I am only responsible for stepping out in faith and obedience, trusting God to meet me where I'm at. And, shining His love through that because everything must be driven from love. And, that day, the Lord was faithful to meet me and show up. And this woman did receive a glimpse of His love through my willingness to step out in faith. Praise the Lord!!!
I share this story not to make myself look great. I share it to make God look great. "If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord." 2 Corinthians 10: 17 I want to show you that God so much bigger than we make Him out to be and His desire is to heal people today and He is able to do that! He is moving in power!! "for the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God's power" 1 Corinthians 4:20 I've seen Him do it and it is so exciting and real. I hope this encourages you to step out in faith as God directs you to share His love to someone, however that may be for you.
Awesome!
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