TODAY'S BARGAINOMICS BIBLE PASSAGE

During the 1980s I attended a women’s retreat with a number of other ladies from my church.  To me, the entire program seemed Holy Spirit-inspired and His presence was as tangible as the chair I was seated in. It was during this time that the Lord confirmed what I felt in my spirit: I would one day be speaking before audiences.

When God confirmed this, the clarity was such that there was no room for doubt. How did He do this? I can only say that, as I listened to the retreat leader, I KNEW that I would some day be doing what she was doing. I felt so strongly about this that when we had an opportunity to get up and share the things that were on our hearts, I stood and told the other women what the Lord had impressed upon me.

And they all gathered around and affirmed me, right? Wrong. When I sat down, virtually no one said a word. If you’re old enough, you’ll remember those old commercials where an entire room becomes suddenly silent at the mention of E. F. Hutton? That’s what happened in that room that day. Afterwards, one lady came to me with a word of encouragement.

You see, I had never been a leader in our church. The closest thing I’d done was to teach Bible study classes, and at that time all my classes had been youth or college and career. I think the general consensus was, “No way the Lord would use HER when there are so many better qualified ladies all over this room.”

Yet I began to receive invitations to speak all over the place, didn’t I? Hardly. Almost ten years went by and nothing happened. At least nothing that I realized at the time. During the following years, I began to teach co-ed and women’s classes. Too, many difficult situations came along that caused me to seek the Lord more faithfully and more deeply. My mom and several other family members were diagnosed with terminal illnesses. A lot of tough things came my way.

And through all this I unknowingly was being prepared for exactly what He would have me to do. Most importantly He was maturing me so that I would have sense enough to take no credit for what was entirely His hand’s work.

                                  

Is God calling you to do something for His glory? Pray, seek Him, trust Him with all your heart, and know that His timing is always perfect. If you’re like me, your biggest problem will be not forcing an opportunity to come about. Wait on the Lord.

If you’re coming from the opposite personality, don’t let fear stop you from doing what God has called you to do. When God opens a door, it’s for a specific person and time. And when He does this, His hand will be unmistakably clear. Has He already opened a door for you? Walk through it NOW – He won’t leave it propped open.

“…there is a time for everything…” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, NIV).