Maurice's Incident

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It all began several months ago when I took the idea of asking the Lord for guidance with literal pretense. I started going on walks around the downtown Kansas City area and asking the Lord to literally guide my way. Approaching a 4 way stop and asking Jesus, “Should I go left?”; “Should I go right?” I would then turn whichever way seemed to be the correct way to turn. Over a few months this led me to have a myriad of experiences where I seemed to be in the right place at the right time to grow my faith as a Christian or offer a profound word of encouragement and point people towards Christ.

One situation that stands out in my mind, I was getting off work and was going to walk to the bus stop to go to Walmart to pick up some gifts and items for myself with my first paycheck. I started asking the Lord to lead me around and asking him where I should go. As I walked by Waffle house the thought popped into my head to go into Waffle house. I thought to myself: “well this is silly because I am not hungry”. Still the thought and compulsion would not go away. I kept asking in my mind over and over, like a ‘doubting Thomas’ , if that is where the Lord wanted me to go. Every time I asked, Waffle house became an overwhelming thought and compulsion to go in. Even if it meant walking in and interrupting someone’s meal to have a conversation that I thought I was being guided into.

I conceded to the Waffle House idea in my mind and started to walk in the doors. Upon entering I saw there was only one patron there. I mustered up the courage and conviction the Lord gifted me with, having done this same thing in previous walks. This time it was a little different, I felt a little bolder to announce to the patron the following: “Excuse me, this may sound weird but I think the Lord wanted me to come in here and talk to you”? He retorted with “What do you mean, you THINK the Lord told you to come talk to me”. At this point my heart leaped in Joy because I realized with that response he was a fellow believer and would make this conversation all the more smooth!

I told him of my insecurities of pondering if the Holy Spirit is ACTUALLY talking to me and guiding me around on such a granular level. He then told me that there are 3 voices inside our heads. One is our own, another is the enemy, and the 3rd is the Holy Spirit. He then asked me: “Did you want to come into Waffle house? Were you Hungry?” I said: “No, I was not hungry”. He retorted in a peaceful sage like way: “Well it must not have been you then”. This absolutely blew my mind because I realized that with all the coincidental things that were happening on these walks this was a key moment to realizing that the Spirit actually is talking to me!

We exchanged stories about ourselves and I paid for his meal and ended up leaving after exchanging some books we thought the other should read about Christianity. I continued asking the Lord where to go after leaving and Walmart seemed like the correct place to go to. I got off the bus after arriving in the general Walmart area. I started walking and kept asking the Lord, casually checking in with him to see if the plan had changed or if I was interpreting it the wrong way. As I was walking the thought came across my mind to go to Maurice’s. I thought it was strange as I had never been to a Maurice’s and had no idea what the store was.

I verified with the Lord in my mind if that was where he wanted me to go and it seemed to be a yes. I walked over to the store and to my slight shock I realized it was a women’s clothing store! I was thinking to myself okay well this is weird. I opened up the door halfway and thought to myself in a humorous way  “Nah, this is too weird”. I closed the door and walked back towards Walmart. I then asked the Lord again in my mind “What do you want me to do now”. Maurice’s pops into my head again! I ask again and the visual image of Maurice’s pops into my head once again. Resigned and filled with a tinge of anxiety I make my way back to the store. I enter and walk around feeling awkward to be a male in a women’s clothing store for no reason other than a whim that the Lord wanted me to be there.

I walk up to a clothing rack and see a faith based woman’s shirt and think to myself well that is pretty cool. Then I hear from over my shoulder the store associate say to me “Is there something I can help you with”? I anxiously sigh and say: “Well, I feel awkward being here, but I think the Lord wanted me to be here for some reason…”? She responds without missing a beat and says: “I think the Lord wanted you to be here so you could pray for me”! I was absolutely astonished and never in my mind would I have believed that would happen. It validated even further that I was hearing whispers and being guided from the Holy Spirit in a concrete way. I asked her what she needed prayer for and she told me of the stress of running two jobs and coworkers calling in to add stress to her day. I prayed for her and in the middle of it she was shivering slightly as if the prayer I was speaking aloud for her was resonating with her deeply. I thanked her and encouraged her that the Lord loves her very much and to lean on him in times of need.

We parted ways and I continued on my way to Walmart absolutely ecstatic and full of overwhelming Joy and peace! This was a pivotal day for my faith in God to be built up!

This is one experience of a multitude that I have been having as I have been surrendering my desires and wants and asking the Lord to guide me!

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your Heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths.

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