Jesus is STILL rooting for me

Here it goes... my first blog post. Bear with me. 

I made this blog with the intent of documenting and sharing the gifts God so gracefully gives me day in and day out with my future self, and anyone else who wants to hear about how great OUR God is. Of course, as I have been waiting for the perfect story, sunset, or moment to happen for my first blog post, God had a different plan. So instead of telling you guys how I have joyfully accepted and taken pleasure in a gift from heaven, I am speaking of the gift of opportunity and the way we can reject it or accept it. 
So it all began today in the Tuscaloosa DMV to get my driver's license renewed. If you have ever been to the DMV you are probably already wondering how there could be any good thing, or gift, involved- I don't blame you for thinking so. So I signed in at 12:39 pm and I walked out at 2:46 pm. 2 whole hours wasted sitting in a waiting room, but what I now see is that those hours did not have to be wasted. 
During those 2 hours, God was sitting in one of those chairs (rather standing- they were all full) handing me opportunities, and I did not even realize it. Worst of all, I didn't accept them. Later I realized that not only did I give up these opportunities, I gave up the very gifts that I have been waiting and begging God for. 

Two lost opportunities in the DMV: 

1. A woman carrying a baby, and her mother, were standing in the room waiting for one of their children to come out of the testing area, and this precious baby knocks a full can of Sprite right out of his mom's hand. Not only does every wall say "NO FOOD OR DRINKS," but the whole room full of people just stopped and stared, myself included. I did not have the guts to get up and help the mom with child clean up the drink- something so simple, but I was afraid to stand up. At that moment I could feel the spiritual warfare going on inside myself- God pushing me and stirring me up inside and Satan magnetizing me to the chair. I am a sinner- and Satan used one of my greatest weaknesses, the fear of man, to cause me to reject the gift God was offering me in the opportunity. 

2. A different woman walked in with a baby sleeping, a large baby I will add, and of course there were no chairs open. She checked in and stood in the corner and once again God was nudging me to the edge of my seat. I could almost hear him saying, "My daughter, give her your seat! You don't need it like she does." My reaction stayed the same. I let the stronghold of Satan paralyze me rather than seeing the light and love Jesus was offering me to give in that moment. 

 This Scripture that I read this morning before going to the DMV has been stuck in my mind all day, therefore I know God is giving me this as a communication that it wasn't either woman with child that I rejected today- it was Jesus himself. And it hurts my heart to know that I can love Him so much and still allow myself to sit comfortably and ignore Him.. please take a second to soak in these words of Jesus.

"Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why: I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me a drink, I was homeless and you gave me a room, I was shivering and you gave me clothes, I was sick and you stopped to visit, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me."         -Matthew 25: 34-40 MSG

So now you all probably think I am a horrible person and that I should not even be writing a blog about gifts if this is all I have to say, and to make that better I will say that the drink got cleaned up pretty quickly and the woman carrying a sleeping baby girl very soon got a seat as someone was called back--- and I am not perfect in any way, shape, or form. I know that my Father is in heaven watching me and is not disappointed with my inability to step out of my comfort zone, but he is rooting me on and giving me more and more courage to take a stance next time and clean up or get up. As this day has gone on and I left the DMV I have been reflecting on what could have been done differently and why God sent me these tasks, or challenges, instead of the gifts I was hoping for. Hopefully I have spread some truth with you all, if anyone is reading this, and also let you know that no matter how many times we fail, Jesus is always right there rooting us on for the next opportunity, and he cannot wait to give us the next gift- we just have to accept it. And I know when we do we will be more full of joy than any beautiful moment or sunset could ever give us (and for me that is a whole lot of joy.)

I will be praying for the gift of opportunity to fall on you and for your ability and power to accept it in Jesus' name,
Good night!

-Bayly

I had to include this fiery sunset I was graced with tonight as well, I apologize for the bad quality :)