My favorite coffee shop in the Northern Virginia area is right next to my Alma Mater, George Mason University. It recently switched ownership and has become nameless. Kinda sad, but its not too concerning because they still have the same beverages. PHEW! Anyways, yesterday, I was having a crummy day, for no particular reason. I was feelings lonely, sad, bored, lazy, and guilty for not getting stuff done. I was having a difficult time giving these feelings over to the Lord for the majority of the day. I tried napping, but couldn’t fall asleep. I tried praying, but kept getting distracted. I texted some of my teammates about how crummy my day was and my team leader texted back and asked me if I had “asked God why I feel that way.” I hadn’t really thought to ask Him.
So I got myself out of bed, showered and chose to worship Him by singing praises in the shower even though I was not feeling. I drove to my favorite no name coffee shop and decided to spend time asking the Lord why I felt that way. As I was walking up, I saw two young guys that I was pretty sure went to my church, but that I had never really talked with before. They were sitting outside and I remember thinking that I really wanted to sit outside because it was SO NICE out, but that I didn’t really want to sit near them because they were probably having a private spiritual conversation. When I was inside, I found myself thinking how I could probably use the encouragement from their private spiritual conversation because I was in such a crummy mood. So I sat outside, under a light, which was a table right near them.
I tried SO hard not to listen, but when you are in the dumps, any form of encouragement from the Lord is super helpful. As I was trying to read my bible and journal I heard bits and pieces from their conversation and realized that maybe I was not the one that was supposed to be encouraged. The younger guy of the two was expressing concerns about a study abroad program that he is signed up for this winter and concerns that he doesn’t know what God has planned for him. He was stressed about it and was worried that the workload would be too much. I was sitting at my table almost laughing out loud because I had been on that exact study abroad trip 4 years prior and LOVED it. I completely felt like I was supposed to talk to these guys.
I was way too scared to talk to them. I was thinking “How can I enter this conversation?” and “They will totally be offended that I was eavesdropping, so I can’t admit that” and “What if God really isn’t calling me to talk to them and it is just a weird coincidence.” I could NOT FOCUS on my time with the Lord because I was trying to figure out how to talk to them. I began praying almost desperate prayers that the Lord would give me an “in” in the conversation. Anything that would allow me to easily converse with them and I would know he was calling me to it. I realized that their conversation was wrapping up and God hadn’t given me and in and He hadn’t told me specifically that I was supposed to say something. But I CHOSE to step out in faith and leave the results up to God. I CHOSE OBEDIENCE. I was scared and stumbled a lot with my words at first. “Hey, uhhh before you guys leave… uhhh I’m sorry, I tried not to listen, but uhhhh I go to your church and I heard you saying you were nervous about studying abroad…. Anyway, I felt like God was telling me to talk to you, because I went on that same study abroad trip.”
I knew as soon as I said that I had gone on the same trip, I was truly CALLED to talk with this guy. He smiling and his eyes lit up and he immediately began asking me questions. I was able to answer question from first hand experience about this trip that had been causing him so much apprehension and worry. I was also able to connect him with a Christian guy friend that lives in the county he will be studying. I am not sure how he was affected by talking with me. I am not sure if he will decide to still go on the trip, or if I actually put him at ease. But I will say that being obedient to God and his call blesses us. I was having a CRUMMY DAY. I think He had me in that crummy day for a reason, so I would end up at that particular coffee shop, at the particular time, to give some encouragement to that particular guy.
Next time I am feeling off, I want to first ask Him why. And maybe He will reveal it to me, maybe He won’t. And that’s ok. His timing is perfect and learning that has become such a blessing recently.
Thanks for reading,
Christina
