Have you ever been asked to do something that you knew well in your gut, you were not prepare to do? Well atleast not at that moment and definetely not what you had in mind!
"You mean now!!!!!?" is usually our response when we are hesitant in doing what we are being asked to do.
QUESTION: "Hey honey, can you give me a foot rub?"
RESPONSE: "You mean now!!!? Can it wait until I finish reading this book. I have a couple of pages left "(yet you know you are not even close to finishing reading since you are on page 10 of 200 pages). AND the thought of squeezing sweaty big feet and hairy toes gives you the heebie jeebies!
QUESTION: "Hey mom, can you take ME AND my friends to the mall, and can you give me $100 for a shirt I want that is so totally "hot"?
RESPONSE: "You mean now!!!!! I'm ready to take a nap! AND totally NOT on the shirt!!
QUESTION: "Mommy can you play with me? You be the bad guy and I'm the soldier"
RESPONSE: "You mean now!!! I have to clean, cook, and take a shower!
We love our family dearly and we would do ANYTHING for them, but would we? We go as far as to say that we would even die for them, yet we cannot take time and fulfill a desire they may have at the moment. Yes, their request may take us out of our comfort zone and overstep our boundaries but overall it cultivates growth and love in our relationships.
Just the same I received a request today that totally took me out of my comfort zone! As I was waiting for my son to get out of school, I turned off the engine and sat back to relax and read! I closed my eyes to meditate on what I had just read about Jesus' passionate prayer (John 17). I whispered "Jesus, I love you" and then I heard Him ask:
QUESTION: "If you love me, would it cause you to let others know about Me" Go and give those tracs you have stored in your purse."
RESPONSE: "You mean NOW!!!
I felt my knees buckle at the thought of getting out of my car and walking over to each car to hand them a trac. Oh gosh! Lord, can I do it another time? I stared at the tracs in my hand and looked out before me. I closed my eyes, said a prayer for boldness and courage and exhaled! Before I changed my mind, I opened the door and charged forth. I handed a trac to all the cars parked ahead of me and quickly got in my car! As I stared ahead to see if anyone tossed the trac out the window, I envisioned each face that received one and prayed. There were approximately seven cars! God's perfect number!
It was an uncomfortable AND totally unexpected request given the time and place. Regardless, out of my love for Jesus, I gave in to the desire of His heart. It only increased my love for Him even the more and growth in our relationship!
Sometimes we have to stretch out of our comfort zone to experience growth whether within our families, workplace, church, community and most of all in our relationship with Jesus!
"You mean now!!!!!?" is usually our response when we are hesitant in doing what we are being asked to do.
QUESTION: "Hey honey, can you give me a foot rub?"
RESPONSE: "You mean now!!!? Can it wait until I finish reading this book. I have a couple of pages left "(yet you know you are not even close to finishing reading since you are on page 10 of 200 pages). AND the thought of squeezing sweaty big feet and hairy toes gives you the heebie jeebies!
QUESTION: "Hey mom, can you take ME AND my friends to the mall, and can you give me $100 for a shirt I want that is so totally "hot"?
RESPONSE: "You mean now!!!!! I'm ready to take a nap! AND totally NOT on the shirt!!
QUESTION: "Mommy can you play with me? You be the bad guy and I'm the soldier"
RESPONSE: "You mean now!!! I have to clean, cook, and take a shower!
We love our family dearly and we would do ANYTHING for them, but would we? We go as far as to say that we would even die for them, yet we cannot take time and fulfill a desire they may have at the moment. Yes, their request may take us out of our comfort zone and overstep our boundaries but overall it cultivates growth and love in our relationships.
Just the same I received a request today that totally took me out of my comfort zone! As I was waiting for my son to get out of school, I turned off the engine and sat back to relax and read! I closed my eyes to meditate on what I had just read about Jesus' passionate prayer (John 17). I whispered "Jesus, I love you" and then I heard Him ask:
QUESTION: "If you love me, would it cause you to let others know about Me" Go and give those tracs you have stored in your purse."
RESPONSE: "You mean NOW!!!
I felt my knees buckle at the thought of getting out of my car and walking over to each car to hand them a trac. Oh gosh! Lord, can I do it another time? I stared at the tracs in my hand and looked out before me. I closed my eyes, said a prayer for boldness and courage and exhaled! Before I changed my mind, I opened the door and charged forth. I handed a trac to all the cars parked ahead of me and quickly got in my car! As I stared ahead to see if anyone tossed the trac out the window, I envisioned each face that received one and prayed. There were approximately seven cars! God's perfect number!
It was an uncomfortable AND totally unexpected request given the time and place. Regardless, out of my love for Jesus, I gave in to the desire of His heart. It only increased my love for Him even the more and growth in our relationship!
Sometimes we have to stretch out of our comfort zone to experience growth whether within our families, workplace, church, community and most of all in our relationship with Jesus!
"He saith to him again the second time, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep." ~ John 21:16 KJV
I love that you posted this on 3/16!!!
ReplyDeletePost it. Tweet it. Text it. Say it to someone today. 3/16 day! "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
Laura, I didn't even realize that! How cool is that!! Thanks for pointing it out! Declaring today 3/16 Day!!!
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