In Jesus' NameSample

Second Chances

I was seated on an airplane, wanting nothing more than to be left alone. I hid behind a book and ignored the Holy Spirit’s nudges to talk with the woman sitting next to me. Hours passed and as we taxied to the gate, we exchanged a few pleasantries. I was blindsided by this woman’s desperate need for a connection with God for her family and circumstances. I was able to listen quickly and say, “I’ll pray for you.”

Why hadn’t I listened to the Holy Spirit?! If only I’d obeyed His nudge, I would’ve had time to share God’s Word with her for several hours. Now, I only had a brief opportunity to say a short prayer on the plane. I immediately repented and promised the Lord I would hear, believe and obey Him in the future. I promised not to miss another opportunity to connect people with Him through prayer. Then I prayed for the woman and her family.

Have you ever felt the Holy Spirit prompting you to do something and you didn’t? It could have been a feeling, a shout or a whisper, but you chose to ignore it. Well, you aren’t alone. God spoke to Jonah and commanded him to preach judgment in the city of Nineveh, but, like many of us, Jonah chose to ignore His prompting. Instead, he ran off to Tarshish in disobedience and got swallowed up by a big fish.

Obeying the Holy Spirit’s cues can be scary, and many times, uncomfortable. They force us to step outside our comfort zones. But Jesus never intended us to stay at a comfortable, complacent level. If Jonah hadn’t eventually stepped out of his comfort zone and obeyed God, then the people of Nineveh wouldn’t have repented and turned from their evil ways. Even though Nineveh was considered an enemy of Jonah’s people, God had a plan for them, and He used Jonah to execute it.

Like Jonah, I was also given a second chance to obey. On my return flight, a businessman was sitting next to me. He was very busy with his paperwork and looked like he didn’t want to be bothered. But I chose to step out of my comfort zone and obey a nudge from the Holy Spirit. I turned to the man and said, “Excuse me, I’m going to spend some time praying. Do you have anything specific you would like me to pray for?” While that’s not a usual thing to ask a stranger, it was what God prompted me to say, and it allowed us to begin a conversation. As I listened to him tell stories about growing up in church, I heard him talk a lot about religion but very little about relationship. Again, I felt the Holy Spirit nudge: “Ask him about Jesus.” Again, I obeyed. And this time it opened a door to Jesus. By the end of the trip, he prayed and committed his life to Christ.

Don’t worry if you’ve missed opportunities. “We all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23 NLT). These God-moments are filled with grace. It’s a time for Him to teach us to hear His voice and respond accordingly. Each of us will be given a second chance to obey the Holy Spirit’s nudges and make a difference for the kingdom.

Courage is fear that has said its prayers and decided to go forward anyway.
~ Joyce Meyer

Prayer

Father, please forgive me for each time I’ve felt Your nudge or heard Your voice and missed an opportunity. I pray You send another messenger, an ambassador of Christ, to that person. Allow me to hear, listen and obey when You are directing me to a person, a place, a crisis or a need on Your behalf. And above all, let Your name be praised. Thank You, Father! You are so faithful! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Activation

• If you have ever failed to act upon a “nudge” from the Holy Spirit, repent and seek forgiveness. Then be ready the next time.
• Know the Word of God. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.
• Decide today that fear will not rob you of the joy of serving Him and advancing the kingdom.

Memory Verse

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:12–13 (NIV)