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“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”  Ecclesiastes 3:1 (ESV)

I was going through a season with numerous health challenges.  Several things going wrong at one time.  I was constantly in a doctor’s office followed by a visit to the pharmacy.  Constant physical pain and not sleeping along with unwanted side effects of medications usually does not leave a person in a great mood. I was grumpy and less than social at my doctor’s visits.

At the same time a new women’s Bible study was getting ready to start, and we were being encouraged to invite new women.

One day as I was praying about my health, I felt convicted by the Holy Spirit about my attitude concerning my health –

This season in my life had a purpose and I should be intentional with it.

On my next trip to the pharmacy, I heeded the voice of the Holy Spirit.  I was intentional about making small talk with the pharmacist and the pharmacy technician.  Each time I came in I made a point to try to connect with them in some way.  In time, I invited two ladies from the pharmacy to Bible study and they came.

A few months after the women started attending Bible study, they shared with me that they both attended the same church I do.  It’s a large church with several services so it’s not unusual that we hadn’t met before.  My curiosity was piqued.  What had kept them from coming to Bible study?  The response was simple “no one has ever invited us before.”

Are you in a season of endless diaper changes, the days and nights are running together? Maybe you’re stressed trying to figure out ways to juggle your child’s at school days versus school online.  We all have seasons that we wished we didn’t have to go through.  Seasons that seem to drain us. We may even tell ourselves that “this season is so bad, nothing good can come from it.”  Yet every season gives us an opportunity to witness for Christ.

Knowing this we must be intentional with everything we do – the mundane as well as the important.

Years later, I’m not only friends with those two ladies but everyone in the pharmacy knows my husband and I now.  There are times I go in the store and don’t need anything from the pharmacy, but I’ll stop by just to check on them.

I gained friends and sisters in Christ all because I was intentional with my attitude and my time -while I was having a very unpleasant season.

Being intentional is the only way we will complete our assignment on this Earth – spreading the gospel of Jesus to the world.

What opportunities are you missing to share hope with others?

“Father help us to be intentional with the opportunities presented to us throughout the day to witness for your Kingdom.”

For His Glory

Laura Holmes, www.ephraimministries.org
TRBC Women’s Life