The Art of Using Every Opportunity

I was sitting here writing a bunch of teaching notes. I was nearly done; I only had to include some personal testimony and I’d be finished.

I finished about two minutes ago, so my mind is still kind of blown.

I was writing out my personal testimony, and it hit me how powerful testimony is. I was writing out things from last year, things from this year, that tied into what I’m teaching on (how God restores us). It’s all kinds of amazing. It reminded me just how important it is to look back and see how you’ve grown and where God has done major work.

The truth is, no one is who they were ten years ago. (Hopefully not; ten years ago I was ten!) And so often I forget to look back at where I’ve been. But it was so impacting for me to write out what some of what I’ve gone through and how it’s shaped me as a person now and how it’s strengthened my relationship with God.

It’s a reminder of who I was and it’s a reminder of who He is.

I was sitting here writing a bunch of teaching notes. It’s a short teaching session; only half an hour and teaching to 10-15 people. I was reading through the things I’m teaching them about and I’m realising how I’m still learning this stuff every day.

God things can’t be learnt and done in a day. If it were that easy our relationship and dependence on God wouldn’t grow because we’d have all the answers. I’m teaching and every day I’m still learning and growing in what I’m teaching about. That doesn’t disqualify me from being able to teach; if that were the case, no one would preach a sermon ever again. This is where testimony comes in. I’m learning what I’m teaching but my testimony is one of what I have learnt about it and how I’ve grown in that area. It’s an encouragement that even though I’m not ‘there’ yet, I’m further along than I ever have been before.

Writing these teaching notes has made me realise how many opportunities we have to learn and grow. God can disciple us using anything. And writing these notes has both encouraged me and challenged me in where I can be doing more.

If a situation has the possibility to make you grow, try actually growing from it rather than running from it. (Ha, maybe if I say that enough I’ll take my own advice 😉)

Sarah xx