Written in Heaven

I was reminded yesterday of an instance I had as a student pastor. I had spent a week getting my lesson ready for the night, and in came Kyle. Kyle was a student that was on the fringes of the student ministry, came irregularly, but really needed to be there. He showed up and I thought – “Oh sweet! Kyle is here! He really needs to hear what God has laid on my heart tonight. I’m glad he’s here cause he’ll get to hear this!”

Kyle walked in right as the evening was beginning. I noticed that instantly when he walked in he was greeted by an adult who was his small group leader. They struck up a conversation and began to dialogue. As the night progressed, I realized that I was getting ready to speak, and Kyle and his small group leader were still talking. I got up to speak, and they kept speaking. I presented my whole sweet presentation, and Kyle and his small group leader were still going. He never heard a word I had to say.

Needless to say, I was not pleased with this situation. I mean seriously, I’m God’s anointed right? How could that conversation have more pertinence than what God had ordained for me to say that night? Oddly enough, Kyle attended the next week, and the next, and the next, and so on. He became a regular attendee to the student ministry and his small group and God worked in his life, primarily through his small group leader.

As a leader, I realized through this situation that my job is to whatever God wants me to do and not put my agenda into it. Galatians 5:24-25 says, “Those who belong to Jesus Christ have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” That means my job is to stay totally surrendered to God, listen for his voice every second of every day, and follow him with reckless abandon. God’s going to call us to be part of something that we’re not going to be the centerpiece of, even though we feel like we should be. Humility.

The truth is, I don’t even remember what I talked about that night, but I remember the outcome that God had in mind from the beginning, even though I had little to do with it.