It was the twelfth week of my teaching an "Experiencing God" Sunday School for women and I was just about to review the seven principles of experiencing God when Audrey, a salt and pepper haired, vivacious grandmother raised her hand with the excitement of a third grader. As I acknowledged her, she stood up and exclaimed as if she were about to burst, "I have something to share and if I don't share it now I may chicken out!"

We were not at all surprised at her request to share. Just a few days prior, my co-teacher and I had been praying that God would begin to reveal His activity in our midst through the testimonies of the women who had been attending the class.

Audrey came up to the front of the class and the Holy Spirit took over from there. She shared that over the weekend a friend on the mercy committee at our church had called and asked whether she would transport a lady in need to the twice-annual "Clothing Closet" on Saturday. Audrey, in a very frank and down to earth way, shared about her feelings of resentment at the thought of having her Saturday interrupted. "After all," she complained out loud to herself "I work all week. I need my Saturday; that's my day."

Although she complained and grumbled at the thought of having to give up her Saturday to help out this lady, she also began to feel very guilty about her unwillingness to help. Audrey explained that she just could not resolve her conflicted feelings. She had no desire to serve in this opportunity that had presented itself, but she was also feeling tremendous guilt for her lack of desire.

She decided to ask a Christian friend for some advice. Her friend gave her just the answer she wanted to hear. "Audrey" she said, "It's okay to say no." Audrey explained that she felt a little better after that. Her defensiveness was disarmed with the idea that she had the right and freedom to say no. But she still could not resolve the conflict in her mind and the guilty feelings that were still lingering in her heart.

At that point, Audrey decided to take her conflicted heart in prayer to the "Wonderful Counselor" and seek His advice. It wasn't long into Audrey's prayer that the Holy Spirit reminded her of how she had recently been praying. "Lord, I want to love You more, Lord I want to serve You more." The light bulb suddenly went on for Audrey in a big way. The very thing that she had been praying for had happened. She had been praying for an opportunity to love and serve God more and she was about to reject God's invitation. Audrey, who had been experiencing a crisis of belief (is this invitation to transport this lady something God wants me to do?) immediately made the adjustment in her heart and mind to accommodate God's invitation to participate in His work.

In the twinkling of an eye Audrey was filled with the greatest joy she had ever known along with a burning desire to serve God by helping this lady get to the "Clothing Closet." Ironically, when she made the call to let her friend on the mercy committee know that she could help out she was met with the response that the lady would not be able to come after all. Audrey not only had her Saturday back, but she experienced God in a very personal way and had yielded to the real work that God was desiring to do, a transformation in her own heart. She was being drawn into a more intimate love relationship with the Living God.

On that day, not only did Audrey acquire a greater desire to serve the Lord, but also a memorial was erected in her heart. A memorial that bears the names of the Lord that He revealed to her in that place of personal struggle and prayer. That day she came to know the Lord as her Wonderful Counselor, her Provider and most of all her Joy.

Copyright © 2001 Jean and Alan LeStourgeon