When the Holy Spirit steals my Thunder!

[Cow Poke]

I've been in the ministry now for over 30 years. I've learned a lot. I think some of the most valuable lessons I've learned have come from my own mistakes, or situations in which i found myself that were, mostly, of my own making.

I have "some Seminary".. not as much as a lot of you. And, like a lot of my fellow twebbers, I used to see so much in "black and white" and i was proud to proclaim things such.

An example is abortion. ALWAYS wrong, always bad.

Then one day, I was teaching our College and Careers class, and we were talking about peer pressure and various things related to doing things in "word or deed"... (Colossians 3). It was a GREAT discussion, with about 15 college students. We prayed, and dismissed, ready for the morning Worship Service, and everybody got up to leave except Janie.

As the others filed out of the room, my wife looked at me, then at Janie, and we went over and sat on the couch beside her. She was obviously upset about something. I asked her if there was anything she needed to talk about, and she responded with "do you think abortion is a sin"?

Wow, Was I ever ready to pounce on that! I have several sermons on abortion, and i can cite statistics and toss out facts and figures and Scriptures... but it was as if the Holy Spirit just shut my mouth. I couldn't speak. And she looked at me, tears welling up in her eyes...

And with a heart of compassion that is just not "me", i asked, "Janie, you've had an abortion, haven't you?" And she began to weep, and said "I know it's wrong and I wish I had never done it..." And all I could do was sit there and hug her and know she is hurting beyond anything I could even say.

As i found the words to speak, it didn't even sound like me talking. She KNEW she had done wrong, and needed no further condemnation. She needed love. Genuine non-judgmental comfort-of-the-Holy-Spirit love. My wife sat with Janie as i stepped out briefly to let somebody know I would not be in the "Morning Worship Service" on time.... and we ministered to Janie.

This is one of many opportunities I've had to "speak my mind" or to shut up, and allow the Holy Spirit to minister as only He can. Things seem to happen so much better when it's Him instead of me.

That experience with Janie turned into a mentoring situation, and Janie grew in the Lord and became a strong witness on campus. There was a closeness between her and my wife and I that never would have been had i gone into my usual "Abortion Answer".

At the time that happened, I had been through the death of my oldest brother who died of Cancer. Subsequently, my youngest daughter married a young man we knew was dying of cancer, and I did their wedding and his funeral within 35 days of one another. My mom passed away shortly after that. (Some of these things, I have written about in this forum.)

As i see, sometimes, how quick we are to demonstrate our grasp or understanding of Scripture, I think of Jesus standing there with the Woman Caught in Adultery. I think He would have loved Janie. In fact, I know He did. And some of that was through me and Debbie.

This was not the first time, and hopefully will not be the last, when the Holy Spirit steps in and Steals my Thunder. And I'm always humbled and grateful and blessed when He does.

[CodewordConduit]

Eagle, I'm sure the kindness and support offered by both yourself and your wife really helped that girl through a tough time. Good for you both, and I hope that Janie is still getting better.

Massive regards

Sarah

[Cow Poke]

Eagle, I'm sure the kindness and support offered by both yourself and your wife really helped that girl through a tough time. Good for you both, and I hope that Janie is still getting better.

Massive regards

Sarah

Thanks, Sarah....

kept up with her for about 15 or 20 years, and then kinda lost contact, but she was doing great the last time I heard from her.

It's interesting, though... i "did the facebook thing" a few months ago, and it's amazing the people who have contacted me from whom I had not heard in "ages". Maybe Janie will be one of those.