Details....not by chance or happenstance

This year (September 2014 - May 2015) I am part of a year long Women's Discipleship Program at my church.  When I signed up I knew it was a big commitment to take on.  We meet every. Monday. night. There are so many Mondays that I don't want to drive 30-40 miles into the city, I am tired, I want to stay home, I want to do something that I choose. But, I committed. And, I'm glad I did. There is refinement of self simply in committing to and sticking with something despite the selfish part of me that wants to focus on "what else I could be doing".

Throughout the last 5 months as I have met with my group, served and studied together with large group and been taught in Leaders group there have been so many things I've learned and also an equal number of things I've witnessed in the lives of others. Since High School I have been part of various women's Bible Studies and groups, taught by peers to much older and wiser women and everything in between.  It is truly a gift to have the opportunity to live life alongside this current group, varying in age, stage and season of life. 

This week was my week to lead our Large Group.  Not so much teach, but facilitate discussion from our study over the previous weeks.  We had 3 chapters to discuss...Adoption, Holy Spirit and Fruit of the Spirit.  All of which we could have spent hours on individually. 

During our discussion we were talking about the Holy Spirit. An at times "mystical" being to some, hard to grasp concept of the Trinity {Father - Son - Holy Spirit} which Christians believe in. The Spirit is the Counselor, the Intercessor, the Advocate, the Standby, the Strengthener, the Helper. The very being that is promised to us as believers in Christ, will be with us, forever. For reference, see John 14:15-26.

As we started sharing how this is applicable to our own lives, how we know the Spirit is in us, the details of life stared coming out.... 

The conversation at home that the Pastor spoke the very same question

to open the sermon on Sunday morning.

 

The word that was my word all last year, that is now the title of our new sermon series. 

 

The friend who reaches out and meets a very specific prayer need

that they had no idea you prayed for.

 

The "unexplainable" change in a child towards obedience and action.

 

The conversation with someone about a hard topic that before never knew "why I would

go through that" and now it applies and speaks directly to someone.

 

This happens on both the receiving and giving side. 

I have had a couple of specific instances to the details lately...

A friend who is in a 2 year long battle that is wearing her thin. This week I commented and encouraged her on something specific, a need that I didn't really know she had, but it was an answer to prayer for her.  Detail. Specific for her.

The word, that was my word, Flourish.  I soaked on that word all year last year, thinking I was much more floundering than flourishing at times. Our new sermon series wouldn't have near the connection for me if I hadn't had that word for a year.  I know what flourish really means - not dependent on circumstance or things, but that I am rooted and will flourish despite the circumstances.  Detail. Specific for me.

I drove down a street last week that I hadn't been on for several months. The last time I was there I had a pretty significant conversation with someone as I was arriving to a meeting.  As I turned back on that street, that whole conversation and circumstance began to replay.  A couple days later one of my besties specifically asked me about the situation. I hadn't mentioned it, there was no significance in the place I went to her, but she was prompted and asked.  Detail. Specific to me.

 

You can, and our society does, attribute all these things to "chance". However, as someone of faith in Christ circumstances like these are not chance. 

From our study: "The good news is that the Spirit is at work wooing, pulling, pushing, leading us into truth.  He is constantly leading us to Jesus Christ who is truth incarnate....The great passion of the Spirit is that human beings know Christ in all his fullness and then evaluate everything in light of him.  The Spirit is radically Christ centered." Discipleship Essentials by Greg Ogden

It isn't about me asking "just the right question", or someone mystically knowing the words I need, or asking me "out of the blue".  It is the Spirit in me revealing and showing me the ultimate love of Christ and his pursuit of me.  He is in the details. No detail is by chance.  No detail is by happenstance. All details are with purpose to draw me closer to Jesus through his Spirit. 

I pray that you are both a giver and receiver of these details in life. Never dismissing them as chance, but recognize Jesus wooing you to himself through the details.

Blessings,