Abide

You see, I’m on staff for the summer at a non-profit teen center. This week in particular we had partnered with a local church where some of our youth attend. We were having an “urban plunge” where groups of kids serve in various day camps during the day and fun events in the evening. All surrounding the idea of serving and learning about God.

It was late, and my work shift was an overnight one. There was a youth who needed a ride home. I was the only female working so I drove her home.

I’d never met her before.

We’d said hello earlier in the night when she arrived.

I didn’t know her story.

I didn’t know anything about her.

We started driving and just casually chatting about what the evening had looked like, and the activities our group had done.

I was keeping the conversation light and cheery because I was worn out and exhausted. I didn’t have energy to figure out who she was or what was going on in her life.

As I drove, she suddenly interjected the conversation with a sentence.

“What do you think . . . and she goes on to share a part of her heart . . . Is that from God”?

Whoa. Whoa whoa WHOA! . . . is what my heart thought. Jesus, are we really doing this? Now? After this day? Seriously?

His response was quick. Yep.

I whispered back in my prayerful thoughts to Him Well, then, let’s do this. Let’s bring You into this.

The rest of the drive was filled with me praying in my head for wisdom while also sharing words to her.

I could feel a weight come off of her as we continued on. Peace filled her that hadn’t been with her before. Her tone of voice changed to trust, the more I shared.

I dropped her off at home and watched her scurry inside. I almost laughed at her jog to the door because I could just envision myself at her age doing the same thing. Running around asking questions of strangers and trying with all my heart to figure out the right way to live.

This story is not really all that fantastic. It’s just a night in my life.

Yet in some ways it’s more than that.

It’s Jesus saying to me ‘you can do all things through Me.’

It’s Him saying rest in Me and I will provide you with strength.

It’s Jesus speaking truth to my soul in the form of young teen girl– that’s how little I know her. I don’t even know her age. I don’t know her last name, and I’ll probably never see her again. As I prayed for her aloud after I shared truth with her, I actually referenced her as “this girl” because I couldn’t even remember her first name in that moment.

Jesus provides divine opportunities for us. We get to choose in those moments if we’ll give an easy answer or a truth filled one.

It’s easy to rest in weakness and remain broken. It’s better to rest in His strength and suddenly gain wholeness.