Have you ever had thoughts cross your mind that you had nothing to do with? I’m talking about promptings that come to your mind before you realize you are even witnessing a certain situation. For instance, today as I walked into a store I had one thing on my mind, my husband wanted snacks. My focus was to get in and out of the store quickly with snacks in hand. As I grabbed a bag of trail mix and went to turn these words came to my heart, “Don’t do it, I will pay”. Almost immediately my eyes locked with a woman who looked about 30 years olds. With fear written on her face, my eyes dropped down seeing a package of English muffins that she was trying to hold on the inside of her forearm right up against her body. I stood there staring as the woman tried to exit through the entrance doors with no luck. The lady quickly climbed between the bars that are supposed to deter people from leaving the store without passing through a checkout line, to make her escape. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and realized something/someone wanted me to stop her and let her know don’t do it and that I will pay for it. 

Now I have to admit this is not the first time my heart has been spoken too. To me, it’s just more evidence that God is trying to be more active in our lives if we just pay attention. This day I did nothing except watch the woman leave the store. I felt sick as yet another missed opportunity to help someone who really needed it, just left my sight. There have been times in my past when people seeking help may have been conning their way through life.  I was once approached by a man who had people yelling at him/me out of their car window. I didn’t pay attention to their warning cries but soon learned what they must have been trying to tell me. The physically fit man approached me saying, “do you hear that mam”? I’m a Vietnam Vet and these people are giving me a hard time. He went on to say that he hasn’t eaten for 3 days and asked if I could spare some money for a Vet that is hungry and down on his luck? The man was so polite that it wasn’t hard for me to open my purse and hand him some money. He then went on to say, thank you and God bless you with a big smile on his face. I stood there and watched him walk past Captains D’s, Taco Bell, McDonald’s and as he was about to past Wendy’s I yelled at him. “Hey, what’s your name”? The man said, Brian. Now I don’t know if that was his name or not, but I yelled back to Brian saying that I would be praying for him. He smiled and said please do. I wasn’t upset that I had been conned and that some good people tried to warn me about Brian, but I found myself overjoyed. You see, little did Brian know that he made it on my hit list, my Prayer hit list that is, and he will forever be on it. Brian may have no idea by giving me permission to pray for him what the power of God can do in one’s life, but he just got a faithful servant of God to always pray for him. Yes, I may never get to see Brian’s transformation myself, but he will know one day that there is a God that loves him and expects him to behave in a certain manner and will ask him to give back. 

Following my Brian event, there was a period of time that seemed to be filled with people doing the wrong things with resources that we provided to them. We made homeless bags to give to people holding signs, “Will work for food”. We packed the bags with hand sanitizer, peanut butter crackers, juice boxes, and other non-perishable items thinking this is a good thing. Soon we were warning that some people were taking the bags not for the food, but for the sanitizer. I guess it contained alcohol in it and they somehow knew how to extract the alcohol in order to drink it. That was a little discouraging, but we took out the sanitizers and carried on. Then we got the idea to give out $5 Wendy’s gift cards. All was good until the meal prices went up and a gift of almost paying for a meal just won’t do. My husband one time wanted to help a lady standing on the side of the road holding a sign that said: “need food and gas money”. As he went to turn his car around to go back and help her he noticed a police officer and stopped to talk to him about the lady. The police officer said please don’t give her any money. I see her every day all day long going from corner to corner making bank on the kindness of others. Lots of people who do that are trying to feed a drug or alcohol problem so in thinking you are helping someone you really aren’t. In fact, I believe she makes more than me and you put together in a day.  This was very disheartening to hear. So how can we teach our children to help others without negative experiences hardening their hearts? How do we know where these promptings come from and when to act on them?

Once you realize the following facts you will be a lot better off. All that you will ever have is already God’s. If you don’t understand this, chances are you are spiritually starved. You need to feed on the word of God daily. If you aren’t into God’s word daily, listening for promptings could come from other sources. Remember Satan was cast out of heaven with one-third of the heavenly angels. If angels that lived in heaven could be deceived so can we. Don’t be deceived like Judas was in John 13:2 when the devil prompted him to betray Jesus. Feeding on God’s word is just as important as feeding our physical bodies. If you can’t seem to find the time to dive into God’s word, try not eating food and replace that time with God’s word. I think that you will quickly find ways to fit God into your day. God will let you know who to help by His promptings if you are in tune with His will for mankind. 

So as far as those disappointments of missed opportunities go, open your hearts to those around you. The woman who felt the need to steal the English muffins someone must know. Are we really concerned about our neighbors? Do people in our family have needs that aren’t being met? Are we seeking guidance from God or from other people? I like to think that by writing this blog that a message will be sent to build up your strength in God. As servants to the Almighty God, we must lay a foundation that when built upon will not fall. We must remove rubbish from our lives and build wisely. Luke 6:47-49 says, As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.” 

Be encouraged. Missed opportunities that pull at our heartstrings are a sign that God is performing a work in us. We just need to learn to act when given the opportunity. My prayer is that the woman in the store finds the help she needs. Is she your neighbor or family member? Has she crossed your path before? Start praying beforehand that you will be able to trust God’s promptings enough to step out in faith when He needs you too. Romans 8:28. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 

Search scriptures for yourself.

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