Stepping Out in RED Shoes!
- Day 115 -
Not Now? Really?
In preparation for my son's upcoming wedding, I found myself at the salon today getting my hair cut and colored. There I was talking to my favorite Christian hair stylist, folding foils and handing them to her one after the other, when a colleague of hers came by and started to chat. I noticed that his conversation was filled with phrases like... "So I asked God for a sign." I'm not sure he was born again, but what I do know is that God has been moving in his life in wonderful ways. Then his conversation changed. He began telling me that, for some time now, he and his wife have been cutting back on cigarette smoking, trying to kick the habit.
there was no tomorrow!
"I want to deliver him of nicotine addiction, right now!"
He shouted.
"Let's do it!"
Okay... so picture this: I'm sitting there -- with my head full of foils -- trying not to bubble over with joy, myself. Sometimes the Holy Spirit is like a kid in a candy store. He can get pretty excited! Meanwhile, I'm trying to stay composed on the outside, evaluating the situation.
"What if God wanted to deliver you right now of the nicotine addiction?" I asked him.
"Would you be up for that?"
"No." He replied. "I still like my two cigarettes in the morning and two at night."
"But what if God could take away that desire completely?" I said.
"Have you ever seen Him do that?"
"Oh, I've seen Him do that." He responded.
"He delivered me from alcohol like that. -- But I'm not ready."
"You know... I think God would deliver you right now if you wanted!"
I insisted.
"No! No!" He returned. "I'm just not ready yet."
Then he walked away.
Did he just say "No Thank You" to God?
Yup! He did.
I couldn't believe it. I've never been so confident before that God wanted to deliver someone. I was trying to find the open door. I really was. If he had just said something like...
"Do you think God could do that for me?" or
"I'd be up for that!" or even
"I'm not sure God does things like that."
I'd have been out of my chair -- foils and all -- laying hands on him and believing God for total deliverance. I have no doubts that he would never have smoked another cigarette again! God may have even delivered his wife as well!
He just wasn't ready. Too bad. Maybe God will come around and offer again, maybe not. I didn't feel the grieving of the Holy Spirit, but His excitement faded quickly.
Perhaps He's used to people saying,
"No, not now!"
I don't know. It's sad -- God wanting to do a miracle and there's no interest. I can't help but wonder if I've ever done that? I hate to say it, but probably. How many times? I don't even want to know.
Today, I stepped out in RED shoes and witnessed deliverance denied. Oh well... It was good practice. I'm learning. One of these days, the Holy Spirit will jump up and down again, and someone will respond affirmatively. When that happens, I'll have a front row seat.
Gail
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