Sometimes God can make it evidently clear where He is leading you and what He is asking you to do. This recently happened to me. God’s leading and guidance unfolded in a way I had never quite experienced before.
A Divine Direction
My Grandma Grasel passed away in May 2021 and it was two days after she passed when I felt God’s leading and direction with absolute certainty. I will always miss her and there is no getting past that. But He graciously met me in that time of deep loss in a way that left me certain of His comforting presence. And when I needed to realize He was right there, He could not have made it any clearer.
It was May 19th, my husband and I were at another funeral, and my grandma’s funeral was two days away, on May 21st. That week was one of the most heartbreaking and difficult weeks for my family. As I was there this thought came to my mind: “We love because He first loved us. When you speak at your grandma’s funeral share that she loved you because I first loved her. And you loved her because I first loved you.”
I quickly shoved that thought aside, thinking that was crazy. Why would I speak at my grandma’s funeral?
But I got home from the service to a missed call from my Aunt Ann. I called her back. She had called to ask if I would speak at my grandma’s funeral on Friday.
I couldn’t have possibly known she was going to ask me.
The Holy Spirit's Prompting
I am certain the thought “share at your grandma’s funeral that she loved you because I first loved her and you loved her because I first loved you” was the Holy Spirit’s prompting and leading.
That is from 1 John 4:19 which says “we love because He first loved us.” But I didn’t know that was the verse in that moment. I looked it up when I got home and sure enough, it was right there in 1 John 4:19.
The Holy Spirit is real. His leading is real. He will lead you and guide you. He will prompt you in His perfect timing.
Speaking at her funeral is not something I thought I would have done. But in that moment, I was completely sure He was leading me to do it. And that gave me the courage I needed.
There are two big takeaways for me. The first is knowing if He is asking me to do it, He will equip me for it. And there is a peace that settles in with that. I hope this encourages you to follow Christ’s prompting and leading, both when it is obvious and when it’s subtle. And to have the courage to follow Him even if it’s something outside of your comfort zone or something you would not normally do.
If He is asking you to do it, He will equip you for it.
It may not be speaking at a loved one’s funeral or speaking at all. Whatever it is that He has you doing, or leading you in, or has placed you in – it could be your career, you role at home, a hobby of yours – whatever it is that He is leading you in or carrying you through, He will equip you for it; He will help you.
The second big takeaway is this – He is right there. Always.
Others are blessed when we heed the promptings of the Spirit, just as your family was blessed by your words at your grandma’s funeral.
Opportunities are missed when we don’t answer the call, some that are big and life-changing!
Thank you, Nancy💙
This is encouraging for each of us to give Holy Spirit the credit he deserves in our lives. He gave you a message, you obeyed it.
A beautiful testimony!
Well done, good and faithful servant.
Thank you so much, Janet💙
Yes! Give Him the credit He deserves instead of dismissing it.
I’m just reading Isaiah 6:8 “Here am I. Send me.” in my Charles Stanley Life Principles Daily Bible. It reminded me of your post. Charles Stanley includes this life lesson: “God first prepared Isaiah for service, then Isaiah offered himself to serve. God will never call us to do something for which He hasn’t equipped us, nor will He force us to serve Him. He wants equipped, willing servants. “
Thank you Lisa for sharing your example; thank you Nancy and Janet for your comments. I feel encouraged and inspired to watch for and accept the calling. HERE AM I. SEND ME.
Love this💙 thank you so much for sharing! “Here am I. Send me.” powerful! And this is encouraging to me too and what a great reminder that in our Bibles, in His Word, there are examples after examples of faithful people who trusted and followed God that we can study and reflect on💙💙