A lot of that thinking has changed for me this month. One day this week our teams went to a park to help out with a homeless feeding. Our team just went and talked to people. I am by no means comfortable with just going up to people and talking about Jesus. It’s a difficult thing to do. A lot of the time when I set out to do this I just end up having a surface level conversation where God really doesn’t come in.
On this particular day I didn’t really feel like talking to anyone around me. It just didn’t feel right. I looked over to my left where there was a basketball court and saw a guy shooting around by himself. For some reason I felt like I needed to go shoot around with him. So I just went over and asked if I could join. Little did I know that an awesome conversation would arise. It started with basic introductions and me explaining what I’m doing in Australia. That peaked his interest. He began to talk about how his mother came to Christ before he was born. So he was raised a Christian.
He proceeded to ask me questions of how I got here. I was able to share my testimony with him actually. Never did I think I would be able to share my testimony with a complete stranger. And it was so easy. So effortless. The best part was that it really seemed to encourage him. He really wanted to keep talking and learn more. It was so awesome. Panda (that’s his nickname) and I are now facebook friends and I’m hoping we can keep up with each other. I would love to be a mentor to him.
I came out of that more pumped than I had been on the race thus far. God showed me that even though it’s good to get out of your comfort zone at times, it’s also perfectly ok to spread His glory in a way that we are comfortable with. Basketball is a passion of mine. I love that God used that for such good.
God has given each one of us passions. He has given each one of us desires. He has given each one of us gifts. Everyone does not have the same passions, desires, and gifts. God makes us all different. He makes each one of us unique. God doesn’t give us these things and then tell us we have no use for them. These passions and desires are good. Therefore it is only natural for us to use those to spread God’s love.
Psalm 139:1-3
1 You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
God knows us. He knows everything about us. He knows how he can use us for his purpose! Don’t think you have to do something uncomfortable all the time to please God. Sometimes he’ll use you in a way that you actually enjoy too!
