Journal Notes: Missed Assignements

by Susan Spitz-Morrison

Sometimes it’s hard to realize that the Holy Spirit is prompting me to do something. And there are other times when I realize that I’m just ignoring those promptings. If I tune in, and become more aware of the thoughts running through my mind in regard to caring for others, I would do many things differently. In fact, if we all paid more attention to the Holy Spirit’s whispers, I believe we would end up blessing many more of the people around us with Christ’s love - shown through us. Have you ever had an experience like the one below?

As I drove through my old neighborhood one morning, I saw them clearing out the home of my lonely elderly neighbor, Jim H. He had sent me a Christmas card this past December and I had meant to check in on him – thought about it every now and then, but never did it. I suppose I felt like it would be awkward, and not something that would be “the best use of my time”.

I stopped and walked in to inquire about what happened to him, hoping that he had been relocated to a facility or to live with a family member. I know he wasn’t close to his family, and I know he was very much alone. Instead, I learned that he passed away.

So now I’m left wondering, did he die alone? Was anyone aware of it? Did his family help him out in the end? Did he go to heaven? (I doubt it, when we had touched on the subject he was always pretty vocally against it.)

I feel guilty and sad – that I, once again, didn’t heed God’s nudge to check in on him – I’d meant to do it – so many times I’d thought of it. And I missed a possible opportunity to talk to him one more time about Christ. Even if he rejected the idea, at least I would have done my part. It would still have been sad, but for different reasons. (Remember the parable of the watchman – if the people are warned, it’s their own fault if they ignore the warning and are destroyed. But if the watchman doesn’t warn, then the disaster is on his(her) head.)

The flip side of this missed opportunity, of course, would have been a most amazing blessing for both of us. He might possibly have been able to look forward to an eternity in paradise, rather than – I hate to even think about the alternative. And I deprived myself of that gift that God may have wanted to give me in response to obeying Him, and helping to save one of his little ones. I usually excuse these nudgings by thinking (or even sometimes praying!) that someone else will do it for that person, if I chicken out or get lazy and don’t do it. But how do I know that it isn’t ME whom God had appointed to speak to that person? And again, what an amazing blessing it would be if there were a positive result???

This is not the first time I have had this experience. In fact, I think it is the third. Over the past few decades, there have been two co-workers who committed suicide, and both times I had been in a position to reach out to them, knew they were struggling, and just ‘never got around to it’.

So I asked myself, “How many more times do I need to go through this, to understand Your priorities, Lord???” Please strengthen me to hear your Holy Spirit and to respond to it – right away!

If this resonates with you, please join me in asking God’s supernatural help through this prayer:

“Lord, help me to stay vigilant and aware of your assignments for me. Rather than dismiss them, saying:

1) Oh, I’m sure someone else will take care of that, or

2) It’s not a good use of my time, I’m too busy, or

3) Eww, it’ll be awkward. What if they reject me, yell at me, etc.? What if I chicken out?

Instead let me say, “Yes, Lord. I will spend time with this person. He/she is the one to whom I am assigned right now. I will just love that person, and look for the workings of the Holy Spirit and not run ahead of you, God, but not squirm away either. I will stay, interact, and simply show Your love to that person until they ask “Why?” or “What compels you to do this?” “Why are you paying attention to me?” When that question does eventually come up, I will have this story to tell. And I will have done the job that You have assigned to me, Lord. The rest will be up to You, Holy Spirit.

Also, I will pray every day for You to soften the heart of that person, and for You to bless my other time and work abundantly, because this is how Your economy works. Please forgive me for my sinful, selfish denial of Your assigned task of spending time with Jim. I pray that He accepted you into his heart before he died, before it was too late, and that I will one day see him in heaven.

I love you Lord, I am so grateful for your unconditional love, forgiveness, and acceptance of all people.”

Amen