Over the years, our precious Father has patiently shown me the joy of saying “yes” to him. I am sorry to confess that more often than I care to admit, my yeses often came after a long, resistant, stubborn wrestling match with the Spirit.
One incident in particular stands out. It had to do with our community group’s turn to attend an outreach opportunity called Second Sunday. As the kids used to say, “Not my jam.” Our leaders reminded us of our date and then humbly confessed they weren’t the greatest attendees themselves. (Good I thought. They’ll understand when I don’t show up.)
The hounding of the Spirit began around the following Wednesday. For every no that came out of my mouth, he persisted. I will save you all the gory details. Suffice it to say, I was still arguing with him right up to the Sunday service when our leaders just happened to sit right in front of me, asked if I was coming, and invited me to ride with them. I was had.
It just so happened that the route randomly picked for our outreach visits was in our part of Chadds Ford. Coincidentally, one family we visited had already met another church family (the Ferrymans) at Costco the previous week. Coincidentally, another family had just moved in and had a child in the same school and same grade as one of my grandkids—instant connection. Was any of this a coincidence or random? No. God was in every detail.
On that Sunday, even though I was anxious, half-hearted, and way out of my comfort zone, God was teaching me important lessons about himself: his indescribable patience with his stubborn child, his tender and undeserved dealings with me, his orchestration of the details of the day. The biggest surprise, though, was how rich, full, and fun that day was. Oh, what joy I would have missed had I persisted in digging in my heels and insisting on my own way! You’d think I’d learn by now, but no.
Recently, I mentioned to some friends that I wanted to study Hebrews this summer while Study Together is on summer break. One of them asked if I wanted company. (Not really. My mind’s eye saw me happily studying by myself with no commitment to other people’s schedules, needs, or interests. I decided not to pursue it and hoped nothing would come of it.) A couple of weeks later, I got a follow-up text. “Are you still considering studying Hebrews this summer?” Well sure. Apparently, I was. Another reluctant yes.
While six of us (including my neighbor) faithfully met every Tuesday morning for ten weeks, the gracious Spirit of God met us in our lively discussion, honest sharing of struggles, prayer, and praise to our precious Savior and great High Priest, superior in every way. Each week I thanked God for this dear group and for the one who brought us together as he filled us with greater love for him and for each other. It was once again most excellent (just like him), more than I expected, and a great way to stay in the Word during our hiatus from Study Together.
If you, like me, tend to hang back when prompted by the Spirit to do something you are naturally resistant to do, please say yes to him readily, enthusiastically, and expectantly. He will never let you down. He will always surprise you with more than you could ask or think. Don’t wait for him to drag you. Take a leap into his loving invitation.