Transformed Women For Christ

Have you ever sat listening to a sermon or in a small study group and thought to yourself, they’re saying such obvious things that I already know! There’s nothing they can teach me. I want more! Or maybe you’re thinking you should find another study group or church that has more meat and potatoes for you. I’ve been there. Wanting more to learn and needing something to fill your cup can sometimes be more of a lesson of patience than fulfillment.

What if you changed your perspective a little? What if you are right where God intended you to be? What if it’s not about you in this moment in time, but rather someone else?

Sometimes we do need to hear the obvious because we all need accountability. We don’t just read the Bible one time and say, I’m good now and become perfect disciples. We read it over and over and over. We need to be reminded of things. Life gets busy. Changes happen. So many parts of life are out of our control. You may need to hear that message again. If it isn’t you then it’s someone else in the room that needs to hear it.

You may be sitting in your small group Bible study and thinking you’re wasting your time. The leader is staying on the surface when you’d rather dive deep. Your knowledge it still wanted. Those people in your group may also desire the same deep dive that you do. It may be that you can mentor someone else. You are there for a reason. Remember that fellowship is not about you, but how you can serve others.

It’s tough for zealous Christians to sit listening to the obvious when they want to learn everything about the Bible right now. Or rather, yesterday. When I first became a Christian that was definitely me. I bought tons of books, read them all with highlighter in hand, watched sermons non-stop and could not wait to get to my women’s Bible study on Wednesdays. Suffice it to say I was thoroughly disappointed at the surface level teachings and the complacency of others’ desires for learning more.

One of the stickers on my water bottle says Wherever God plants you, bloom with grace. It’s not a Bible verse, but it’s pretty encouraging. It calls to mind the book of Esther and being instrumental at a time when you feel you can do nothing. I remind myself that growth only occurs when we are in uncomfortable places. You won’t grow either if you keep running to places and people for your own satisfaction. We need to sit with the sinners (Christian or not), be the light and help those whose Biblical knowledge is less than ours so they can hold the joy and zeal that we have.

It may be that you are sitting there in that church listening to that sermon on the obvious because God needed you for what happens after. Maybe after church you run into a person who needs assistance changing their tire. Maybe you need to share the gospel with a troubled teen at the library when you return books. Maybe you need to lend a twenty to a single parent at the grocery check out so they can get through the week. I’m thinking of Joseph’s story. God can take your boring situation and turn it into something that glorifies Him.

And hey, maybe those people you help need you to teach them that obvious message…

Take heart my friend. Maybe you need a deep dive with online classes rather than your church. (You still need to go to church.) Maybe you could offer Bible studies from your home for those like yourself. It’s a beautiful thing to find likeminded people. Just remember that you are also (and should remember to be) an ambassador for Christ. Being a disciple requires discipline. Discipline means learning to discern what God’s will is for you. Look around and see how you can shed God’s glory to others. Be a servant for the Lord in every circumstance.