Steps Ordered
The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way; Psalm 37:23, ESV
We had been on nanny duty for weeks, and I hadn’t had the opportunity to go for a run. The morning of our first day back home, after finishing my morning study, I decided to head out for a run. I’ll admit, my study time that morning felt a little unusual—God was leading me to scriptures that didn’t seem to align with my planned study. But as the day unfolded, I realized He was directing my path in His perfect way.
I was thrilled to be back in my running rhythm, just listening to God and enjoying the movement. By the end of my run, I made my way to a coffee shop, sweat dripping from my face. I went to the restroom to freshen up, but both doors were locked. Frustrated, I decided to run over to the Bel Air grocery store to use their restroom instead.
As I stepped out of the coffee shop and headed toward the store, I spotted one of my old bosses. To be honest, I instinctively lowered my head, hoping to avoid her—I was drenched in sweat and felt self-conscious. But when the Holy Spirit is at work, He orchestrates everything for a purpose. As I was about to pass her, she called out my name and reached out for a hug. I hesitated, saying, “Hi! But I’m really sweaty from my run—I don’t think you want a hug!”
She smiled, and we began to chat. She shared that her ex-husband had recently suffered a stroke and was in a terrible situation. Her son was trying to manage his business while her ex-husband was in a care facility. At that moment, the scriptures I had studied earlier came flooding out of me. I spoke words of encouragement, and she began praising God right there in the parking lot!
I asked if I could pray for her and her family, and she said yes. So, we stood there in the middle of the parking lot, and I prayed for her. She was so uplifted and grateful, giving thanks to God as we parted ways. Feeling joyful and full of praise, I headed toward the grocery store. But before I could go inside, a man approached me and said, “God bless you.”As I looked at him, the Holy Spirit whispered to my heart: He saw you pray, and he wants prayer too.
I asked him if I could pray for him, and he nodded, saying, “Yes.” Though he spoke little English, I understood enough to know what he needed prayer for. As I began to pray, this man lifted his arms, thanking Jesus. The Holy Spirit took over, leading the prayer and meeting his needs in ways I couldn’t have never imagined. When we finished, he was filled with joy, and so was I. As I walked away, I heard the Holy Spirit gently remind me: The two locked bathroom doors in the coffee shop weren’t a coincidence—I needed you here in this moment.
Every day of our lives is ordered by God. We just have to surrender to His will and trust Him in every moment.
Key points:
With God everything has a purpose.
Everyone sees the light of Jesus in you.
Change is apart of his plan.
Affirmations: Matthew 10:20; Luke 24:32; Ephesians 6:19, Isaiah 55:11
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