Mackenzie Norman

I have a vivid memory of sitting in Starbucks on a sofa after meeting with a friend. We had talked about life and faith and following Christ and it seemed both of us were doing well. She got up to leave for class and for whatever reason, I stayed seated on that couch for a little while longer. I guess it was an act of God. 

At a table next to me sat a girl who was reading a book. Everything seemed normal until I heard a faint sniffle. And when I looked up, she had tears running down her cheeks. I felt the Spirit gently nudge me. “Go talk to her.” 

And honestly, even though I had just left a Jesus conversation where we talked about the importance of the Gospel and being obedient to the Holy Spirit, I really didn’t want to move. The couch was comfy. She probably wanted to cry alone. And I wasn’t in the mood to be rejected by a distraught stranger. 

So I sat there, now on the edge of the sofa, continuing to hear her sobbing softly, picking nervously at my fingers trying to ignore the pressure on my heart and the voice that kept saying “go talk to her.” And finally, my heart beating out of my chest, I stood up and inched my way towards her table, and sitting down in the chair across from her, I asked if she was okay. 

She looked up at me, eyes red with tears, gave a watery smile, and wiped her face. “Yeah, yeah” she said, “I’m fine.” She glanced down and sniffled again. I tilted my head to the side and waited in silence. 

“It’s just…” she continued, eyes darting to the ceiling trying to find the words. “I’ve been so overwhelmed lately. And I’ve wanted to spend time with God, but I haven’t. And instead of running to Him, I’ve been running from him. And…” her voice cracked and her lips twisted as she tried to subdue her emotion. “And I don’t know what to do. I don’t feel like I have any community, I don’t know many other Christians. It’s just been so hard to keep going.” She paused and took in an unsteady breath. “So today, I opened my Bible to Isaiah 43 and it was what I needed to hear.” 

I looked at the book spread open before her on the table, filled with pink highlighter and tear stains. And I was quiet for a moment. Because I knew I wasn’t there to tell her something she didn’t know already. I wasn’t there to take away her pain. I wasn’t there to be Jesus for her. Even before I was there, God was there. He was already working. He was already speaking. And God didn’t bring me on the scene to do His job, but to remind me that He was doing His job. 

The God we worship is capable. He doesn’t need us and yet He invites us to see and participate in the incredible, awe-inspiring things He is actively doing around us. But we have to be careful that when we decide to join Him where He is working, we are doing so to please God and love others, not to build up ourselves.

Sometimes our genuinely good intentions to help others can become twisted in subtle ways and it can become less and less about sacrificial service, and more about internal approval. We can use the guise of “helping people” to feel better about ourselves and about our “service” for God. But what we’re really doing when we make helping others about us is attempting to be God in someone else’s life. There is a huge difference between being God and being like God. 

You are not God. You are not in control of the events in your life, of your own personal schedule or plans, and most certainly not of other people and how they act or respond. 

You are not Jesus. You cannot save people, it is not your responsibility to rescue them from sinfulness. 

You are not the Holy Spirit. You can’t convict people of their sin, you can’t produce spiritual growth in their life. You aren’t responsible for counseling them through every circumstance in their life. You can’t be the ever-present comforter, the perfect intercessor, or the 24/7 reminder of their need for God. 

As we reach out to others, we must remember that God has not called us to be Him in their lives, but He has called us to be like Him. He does place us in situations where in order to bring those around us to a greater understanding of who He is. Scripture makes it clear that we are to be imitators of God (Ephesians 5:1-2). Be wary of making an idol of yourself or your goodness in your enthusiasm to reach others. 

I say this because while I went by leadership of the Spirit to talk with the girl at Starbucks, I also went with the impression that God wanted me to go because of who I was. Because my skills were needed there. And I was reminded that God could have chosen anyone for the job, but I was available and I listened. That was the difference. It wasn’t because of what I brought or who I was, but because I was willing. 

Reaching out to others can seem scary at times and it will likely involve venturing outside of comfort. But here’s what I want you to get: you don’t know how God has already been showing up and speaking in that person’s life. Trust that He is doing more under the surface than you could possibly imagine. You aren’t walking in blind or alone. He sees the heart of that individual and knows how to speak to them. And if He would have you speak, He is able to guide you into all wisdom so that you say exactly what He wants them to hear at exactly the right moment. God isn’t asking you to be Him, but He is asking you to follow Him. To walk forward in faith and obedience. Your willingness and your open-handed availability are more important than your skill-set. He is able to do far more abundantly beyond all you could ever ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). Believe this, and step out confidently. He is taking care of everything.