One morning last week I was sitting on the rooftof, reading from 1 Chronicles for my daily quiet time. My chapter for the day was chapter 17, where David desires to build a temple for God. It's a chapter I've read a lot and even picked apart before, but it hit me in a new way this time. David had a good desire. He wanted to create for a new home for God, a place where He could dwell and be praised! But God told him "No." Building a temple was not a job God had for David; it was one He had for David's son, Solomon. Sometimes we have truly good desires, but God still tells us no. That doesn't mean He hates us or wants bad things for us! In fact, being told no by God is just as good as being told yes!
On Monday, I had the chance to get dinner with a girl I'd met a few days before. The entire day, I was psyching myself up to share the Gospel with her. Lord, give me boldness to share! Let it be Your Spirit speaking through me, I prayed the whole day. A teammate and I arrived and sat down with her at a table. When our food came, before I could say anything, this girl asked if she could pray for our dinner! It turns out, she was already a Christian, and I had no idea! I was so ready to share the Gospel with her! For a moment, I was actually disappointed I wouldn't be able to share with her! Isn't that so silly? I was disappointed someone had already shared the Gospel with her and we were now sisters in Christ, purely because I had the good desire to be the one to tell her about Jesus.
"If you are succeeding without suffering, it is
because others before you have suffered;
if you are suffering without
succeeding, it is that others after you may succeed."
I succeeded in having a Godly conversation with this girl because someone else suffered before me. Not only that, but she'd brought a friend who was not a believer and was able to listen as we talked about our faith! Who knows what kinds of seeds we planted in her life that night!
God can use our good desires, but the Bible also says that He is the one who gives us the desires of our heart, and He delights to do it! All He's waiting for is for us to ask!
Pray for this girl's friend. Pray that hearing our conversation Monday night would have stirred something in her heart so that she might come to accept Christ.
-Gabby
Creative Media Intern Team
Creative Media Intern Team