Not long after moving to Montana, I went out one day to a local coffee shop. I was reading a book that morning and trying to be in tune to notice anyone the Lord wanted to highlight to me. Eventually, I noticed a young man sitting by the window on his computer and felt the Lord highlight him to me. I wasn’t exactly sure how to engage him in conversation but after a bit, I decided to go sit on the opposite side of the window as it was a better space for me to read and work from as well.
I made some small talk with the young man as I sat down. I learned a bit about him and his present life situation and he asked a bit about me. I shared I was the president of a local non-profit organization and had just moved into the area.
We chatted a bit more and then both quietly worked. I must say that I expected the conversation might move ahead into things about God, but it was as if I just couldn’t go there that day. I just prayed for him silently. After about 20 or 30 minutes, the young man left, saying goodbye to me as he went. That was that.
Some might say I was experiencing spiritual warfare or was fearful, but I actually don’t believe that was the case here. I simply did not sense God wanted me to go further that day with him. What I did do was pray for him several times in the following days as He came to mind.
A week or two later, I again felt God leading me to go back to this coffee shop. I was a little busy that day and didn’t have a lot of time. Was this really God? I went in, thinking that if I saw that same young man again I would know God was indeed sending me back. Sure enough, he was there again.
I wasn’t sure I’d have an opportunity to talk with him that day as the coffee shop was busy. But he got up at one point and walked past me and I said hi to him, remembering his name. He also remembered talking to me and we chatted a bit more. In this interaction, I shared a bit more about what my non profit was and found out he went to a church in town, which he actually invited me to. I shared some of my testimony with him and how I came to really know God and not just know about Him. I received a word from the Holy Spirit for him and shared it with him. That type of ministry was likely out of the norm that he was used to, but he seemed to receive what was said before thanking me and moving on.
A month or so past and then one day, I felt like I was to again go back to that coffee shop. I went in and this time the young man wasn’t there. I stayed for a while, reading a bit and drinking coffee. I considered ministering to a few other people and tried talking to one but it didn’t go anywhere. I was about to leave but decided to do some prayers for people God brought to mind before going, especially those I had met while trying to do outreach. Then, I thought of this same young man, but couldn’t remember his name exactly. Right then, at that very moment, he walked through the doors of the coffee shop!
I talked briefly to him and relearned his name again. Our interaction was friendly but short before he had to get to work and I needed to go.
I don’t know God’s purposes in all of this. I don’t know if I will ever see this young man again. What I do know is what I shared here. God highlighted him to me one day and I talked to him and prayed silently for him. Another day, God gave me an opportunity to witness to him and minister a bit to him. Yet another day, God gave me an opportunity to cross paths with him again at the very moment I thought of him. I pray God’s best for him and that he becomes a mature disciple of Jesus. I pray God makes it clear if I am to have any future connection with him. I pray God puts more people in his life that will help him grow and sow seeds into him. I pray God uses him to sow seeds into the lives of others.
The point I want to illustrate through this story is that as we desire to advance God’s Kingdom, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it will happen through outward ministry on the first interaction. Many times it does for me, but not always. It may take several different interactions with a person that God highlights to us. This is especially true as we meet people in our community that we may see again. God is orchestrating things, but it is like a play with multiple scenes or acts. If we sense more is to happen, we don’t want to be disobedient. But we also must accept the fact that it might happen in a “future scene” rather than the current one. We also are just one person in this individual’s lives and God is working in ways that we cannot see–with multiple scenes and multiple acts and behind the scenes. This requires prayer, patience, humility, and keeping in step with the Holy Spirit.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. (Gal. 5;25). Love is patient and kind….(I Cor. 13:4a)
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