Waking up with a headache one day last month, I decided to force myself out of bed.
The smell of coffee had made its way up the stairs and into my bedroom, drawing me into the land of the living.
Once on the couch, and a coffee in hand, I tossed around the idea of cancelling my first of two appointments that morning due to my pounding headache.
Early Appointments Are No Fun
Frustrated with myself for having made my first appointment SO early...and on my morning off work too... When I could’ve stayed in bed for a whole extra hour...
At work the day before, I reminded my boss of these two appointments scheduled, and that I would be a little late in coming to work the next morning.
"Hmm," I thought, skipping my first appointment would allow me just enough time to lounge a little longer... maybe have a second cup of coffee... maybe fend off this pounding headache."
All of it was starting to sound like a good plan...
As I massaged my temples, I debating whether to take some ibuprofen or not. "Why of all the mornings, does my head hurt so badly?!"
I really wanted to cancel both of my appointments and call off work as well.
Then, as I contemplated what to do, my spirit started to replay some things I had heard in church services lately...
My husband, who is also my pastor said something recently about "us opposing ourselves and letting our flesh rule over our spirit," and in doing so, we are preventing ourselves from being sensitive to what the Holy Spirit is leading us to do. Thus opposing ourselves.
Trying Not to Give Into My Headache
Often times we give into our flesh which doesn't want to be pressed or changed in any way. This is a dangerous place to be spiritually, especially if we are prone to give into all of our whims or desires... or headaches.
With my husband's sermon ringing in my ears, and feeling a bit of conviction, I checked the time on my cell phone and noticed I would have to get moving if I was going to get to my first appointment.
Even as I write this, I’m amazed at how the Holy Spirit was reminding me of my husband's sermon. Almost as if those messages were spoken for me to recall at this very moment.
My husband, who is a local pastor, had been speaking on being careful what you listen to, and one of his points were, “Don’t give in so easily to inclinations that cross your mind, because they may have been birthed by the enemy, or birthed out of our own fleshly desires, but carefully consider your course of action before you act upon a feeling or thought.”
The Possibility of Missing Out on God's Blessing
He gave a brief example of someone giving into the feeling of being 'a little under the weather’ and skipping a church service because they didn’t 'feel' good, when in actuality, God had something special waiting for them to receive at that service, but since they weren’t there, they missed out on what God would’ve had for them.
This brief statement he made during a sermon is what was sticking out to me now, and with these thoughts in mind, I began to move forward with my original plans.
Surely I didn't want to miss out on anything God had for me just because I had a headache. "What if this headache was from the enemy somehow? Wanting to prevent me from going to my appointments...?"
Forcing myself into the shower, and believing with everything in me that I was doing the right thing, I turned to the Lord for strength and pressed ahead with the morning, and as I did so, the headache lessened and the morning brain fog began to lift.
Standing in the shower, letting the warm water run over me, was like heaven on earth. It was clear more than ever, “I needed to keep my word and go to both of my appointments this morning, headache and all.”
I took some ibuprofen, and got dressed for the day. Determined more than every not to let this headache keep me from day.
The Divine Appointment With My Hairdresser
An hour later I arrived at my first appointment, right on time, and feeling like I did the right thing.
During the course of the hair appointment my friend asked me how my daughter’s wedding went the month before, and I proceeded to tell her all the details with great enthusiasm, answering all her questions and probably giving more information than she wanted to hear, also noting my headache was totally gone by now...hmm, "That's interesting," I thought.
Then, as she was wrapping up the haircut, realization came to me, "I never even directed any questions to her!" How inconsiderate of me!
“Hey, what about you? How are you? How is your family? How is the church doing?” I quickly asked.
“Not good,” she said quickly.
This startled me, because it was unexpected. So, I looked up real fast, and asked her what she meant.
Without hesitation she proceeded to tell me some devastating news about her marriage and family that would affect them greatly.
Immediately, I was ashamed of my earlier enthusiasm discussing my daughter’s wedding, “Oh my goodness. I’m so sorry,” I said, with all my heart.
Praying With My Hairdresser
Being so moved by what she just shared with me, I jumped up out of my seat and grabbed her by the arms and said to her with gentleness, “YOU are an amazing person. Grab a hold of God with everything in you and do NOT loose your faith over this.”
After asking if I could pray with her, I noted the solemnity of the moment --I was being a tool in the Master's hands to minister to my sister in the Lord.
Starting slowly, I prayed very carefully as to be sensitive to what the Holy Spirit would have me to pray.
He then led me to pray for her marriage, for forgiveness to flow, and for the Lord to wrap His arms around her and uphold her during this time.
When the prayer was finished, we hugged, and she cried on my shoulder. Wiping away tears, she said, “In one moment, we lost everything.”
Even now, as I write this, my heart is aching for my friend.
She went on to tell me that her future is unknown.
My prayer for her as she faces her unknown future, is that the Lord would comfort her heart, protect the children’s hearts, bring healing in time, even forgiveness, and restore her marriage.
Not knowing if my prayer blessed her or not, I was amazed the Holy Spirit led me to pray for her the way He did, for in lifting her up before our Heavenly Father, my heart was touched as well. Forever touched.
Almost Missing a Blessing From Heaven
To think, I would’ve missed this divine appointment of ministering to another sister in the Lord because of a headache.
This has caused me to be more careful to what inclinations I listen too. "Not opposing myself," but weighing my actions before the Lord, especially when my actions will affect other people.
Headaches come and go, aches and pains come and go, tummy rumbles come and go, even thoughts come and go, but opportunities are lost forever.
A divine appointment, is just that - a DIVINELY orchestrated appointment created by God to use us in a divine way.
Had I listened to those inclinations of lounging at home a little longer, nursing my headache, sipping that second cup of coffee; I would’ve missed out on ministering to my friend. For what? A few more minutes on the couch?
Don't Give in to "Easy-Outs"
May we rise up and not give in to those ‘easy outs,’ or those inclinations that would cause us to miss out on attending a divine appointment God has scheduled for us.
Recently, I read a quote that went like this:
“Never ignore a person who cares for you, because someday you’ll realize you’ve lost a diamond, while you were collecting stones.”
To paraphrase this quote more specifically to the message of this blog:
“Never ignore a responsibility, a person you love, or a place you should be, because of a headache. Someday you will realize you’ve lost diamonds, while you were collecting stones.”
The Lord is Our Strength and Can Help Us Overcome!
“Rise up, O Lord, in strength! We will sing and praise your mighty power!” Psalms 21:13
“The Lord is my strength and song, and has become my salvation.” Psalms 118:14
" But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these (fleshly inclinations that aren't honorable), he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work."
2 Timothy 2:21-22
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11
Let's Pray Together
Heavenly Father,
You are our strength and song, and You have become our salvation! Oh how we love You and need You apart of our life!
Give us the emotional strength needed to guard our thoughts and actions against satisfying our fleshly desires all the time. We are human and can be self-destructive at times, ruining even the plans you may have for us. Even missing out on heavenly blessings and eternal rewards. Oh Lord, help us overcome these issues in our life so we can be apart of Your kingdom ad Your purposes!
Meet with each person reading this blog post and bless them today with Your peace and assurance.
In Your Precious Name, Amen.
Blessings ~
The Founder, Angie
My Sun & Shade Ministries
