Are you waiting….or procrastinating?
Since 200, over 100 guys have been “Radically Mentored” around my dining room table. Around the world, another 2,400 guys have had similar experiences. Some mentor poured his cup into their cup. They made a covenant commitment to pour their cups into some younger guys’ cups…when God lets them know they’re ready. Some are now ‘paying it forward’. Some are waiting. Some are procrastinating.
Waiting is what you do when something has started, but hasn’t yet ended. If you’re just riding around, going nowhere, you’re never stuck in traffic. The thing has to have begun if you’re waiting. And there has to be an end or a next step. Nouwen says,
“We too can wait only if what we are waiting for has already begun for us. Waiting is never a movement from nothing to something. It is a movement from something to something more.” Those who wait (like Mary, and Elizabeth) had each received a promise that gave them courage and allowed them to wait. They received something that was at work in them, a seed that had started to grow.”
Henri Nouwen – “Finding My Way Home”
If the ‘seed’ of making disciples and disciple-makers was planted in you, through Radical Mentoring or some other way, a process started. You may be waiting to do a group, but you’re procrastinating if you’re just ‘sittin’ and soakin’ and not engaging anyone about Jesus. Building at least one relationship for spiritual purposes. Investing in someone for the purpose of helping them move a step in their faith journey.
It’s so tempting to play it safe and do nothing for anyone else’s soul. After all, “I have my church, my Sunday School class or small group, my Bible, my salvation, my Heavenly Father to walk through life with.” All about me and mine. Problem is Jesus didn’t point us toward ‘me and mine’. In fact, He said we should abandon ourselves…even our mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters for the sake of others. For the sake of their souls. For the sake of the Gospel.
Start with prayer. Ask God who He wants you to engage with. You probably already have a clue or two. Then start to pray for them intentionally. Amazing how God can change the heart of someone we consistently pray for. And you find that as you pray for someone, it’s easier to love them. You can’t really “minister” to someone you don’t love. Praying leads to loving.
And then look for opportunities to serve them. Unconditionally. Don’t make them a project, just make them the focus of your attention and acceptance. Little by little, God may warm your heart and theirs, both for each other and for Him. They won’t ‘care to know’ about your faith, your God, or anything else until they ‘know you care’ about them, as a person, as a friend. Let God lead wherever He wants. If it’s inviting them to church, join your group, do a Bible study, go on a short-term mission trip with you, or maybe just have coffee every couple of weeks to talk about God stuff. “Wherever you lead Lord. I will follow. And I want to take this friend with us. Show us where You’d have us go”.
Something changes in us when we invest in others for Kingdom purposes. It’s not why we do it, but it’s a sweet side benefit of following Jesus and not procrastinating.
Question: Are you waiting….or procrastinating? If you’re not intentionally engaged in helping someone else from a spiritual perspective, tell us here what holds you back.
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Responses (2)
Regi,
I completely relate to what you discussed on your blog today. I haev a seed growing in me but sometimes it feels that there isn’t a clear direction of where it is going. Patience and waiting are two characteristics that aren’t naturally apart of a followers life and I believe that God asks us to wait in some situations in order to teach us to rely on him.
In regards to looking for opportunities, I have to keep remininding myself that Jesus left the 99 to seek out the 1 and we are called to do the same. I started a men’s sexual freedom group at my church a few weeks ago and so far, the attendance has been minimal. My worldly nature tries to convince me that I’m not making a difference and to give a lack luster effort due to the attendance. But, then I hear God telling me that if even one man is changed due to the work he is doing in me, that’s a miracle and cause for celebration. The world we live in doesn’t trumpet small achievements because to the world, they are small. To god, even one person turning back to him causes heaven to rejoic and it’s important at least for me to try and remember this on a daily basis. Thanks for your words!
“High on the plains of hesitation, bleached the bones of countless thousands who, poised on the threshold of victory, stopped to wait. And waiting they died!”