An Unlikely Day: Part Two

Last week I had an opportunity to visit with a lady who randomly picked our church to call and ask to talk to a minister. (See prior post)

Today, she came back for another visit. We spent another hour or so talking and trying to work through some of her faith questions and life issues.

I share this story because I want to be reminded of how God is able to bring good out of tragedy. I also want to give Him glory for the work He does in our lives and for how He is able to use our wounded lives to minister to others.

This post is not about me. It's about a realization that God is GOD. It's about my amazement as I consider the journey I have been on and the way He finds ways to use me and bring glory to Himself.

Towards the end of our time together she gave me several high compliments. I was caught off guard by how "effective" I had been for her. She is a professional lady, secure financially, and well educated. I guess I was a little surprised that she would find me to be so "effective" in helping her deal with some of her issues. To be honest, I felt inadequate at times as we were talking. She had lots of heady questions and posed many interesting thought lines.

Yet, in her mind, (and I quote) "she gained more wisdom and insight in the two visits we had than in all the counseling sessions she had been to and all the counselors she had ever seen". She attributed it to the fact that "I understood"...."I knew what it was like to experience loss"...."I had been there"

She knew this because I shared just a brief part of my story the first time we visited. I don't always do that but this time it seemed appropriate and I guess it worked.

To be fair, this hasn't been an official counseling relationship. Otherwise, I wouldn't be writing about it on this blog. She came wanting to visit with a "minister" not a "counselor". I had my "minister" hat on when she came to my office in the main church. I joked with her today and said "you requested to talk to a minister, it just so happened I was also a counselor".

So, the point of this blog. It's not about patting myself on the back. I have no skill apart from God. He deserves the Glory. The point is that God is using my experience to help others. He is giving me an influence that I would have never had before.

I suppose that all of us find significance when God is able to use the unique parts of our lives to minister to others. We tend to think about the people who are able to give profound testimonies in front of large audiences as people who are "truly being used by God". Yet, today, I realized that God is using me one person at a time. He is giving me brief opportunities to minister to different people who are usually in crisis. I find fulfillment in that.....and for that I am grateful.