Ever meet someone, spend ten minutes talking to them and never see them again? Just a random meeting while you are standing in line at the grocery store or waiting in the customer lounge for an oil change. You may never give the interaction a second thought, but go on with your day as you planned.
What if God put that person in your path for a reason? What if that chance encounter was designed to help you move towards an area of ministry or allow you to discover your purpose? So often we are focused on our plans that we aren’t open to listening when God speaks to us through other people.
A Look Back
It is often easy to get to a point in our lives where we look back at previous incidents or events and see where God led us to our present situation in life. We may see where He put specific people in our paths for a reason even if they are no longer part of our lives today. They may have had a significant role in our lives at the time or been a one-time meeting.
While it is good to be able to look at past events in our lives and see how God has used them to mold us, it is far better to be aware in the moment. Why can’t we stop for a few minutes and reflect on the day to see what God was trying to teach us? Even better, pray as we start our day for God to help us recognize when He is using someone to impact our lives. If we can be more sensitive to everything that happens to us each day, it will help us recognize the path that God is leading us on.
Random Events
So often what seem like random events are just pieces of a puzzle that form a complete picture when put together. Perhaps someone is standing outside a store asking for donations for the local food pantry. You visit with an old friend who you haven’t seen in ages and she tells you that she has been working at her local homeless shelter. Some months later, you are talking to a new person you just met all dressed up in a business suit and he tells you that he used to be homeless before someone helped him out.
These random events could indicate that God is directing you to volunteer at your local soup kitchen or help out with a nonprofit that works with homeless people. Maybe for you it is being exposed to domestic abuse victims or those in prison. You may have worked with the church youth and now you are being led to help at-risk kids.
We all need to be more aware of our interactions with others and how God may be using those moments to prepare us for His work. Experiences and conversations with people can be the training ground for our future ministry. We should pay attention so that we don’t miss out on God’s purpose for our lives.
