Day 24: A cab driver

I was walking down the street after a long day in the office, thinking about where God would lead me. It was another busy day, and for some reason I was discouraged. I just wanted to go home. And I wondered why all this had to be so hard, why I had to do all this careful looking around. I prayed as I walked that God would provide an opportunity for me, something obvious, something that I didn’t have to think about. Just something right there in front of me.

Doubt crept in then. God won’t, it said: God doesn’t make things easy; he won’t just provide you with a clear opportunity; that’s not how he works; he wants this to be confusing. It was the first time on this project that I’d felt that frustrating, discouraging thought. And I didn’t really know what to do with it.

Then I rounded the corner and saw the cab. It was right there in front of a hotel, the driver looking like he had nowhere to go. To anyone else, this would have been nothing special. But I’d been thinking for two weeks about cab drivers – ever since I walked by one and didn’t say a word. I’d been thinking since then I should have tapped on the window and prayed for the guy. So I told myself I’d do that if the opportunity ever came again.

Tonight it did. And I didn’t even have to tap on the window. It was rolled down already. The driver was working on his cell phone when I crossed the street to him. He was a large man, about 50. As usual, he was a bit suspicious at the question. But he agreed. I asked if he was a Christian. He said he was. I prayed for him there in the street, cars driving by us. He smiled afterward, and I walked away.

When I got back to the office, there was a Facebook message from my uncle, who said he was praying for me for courage. It had been posted six minutes earlier – right at the moment of my meeting. And so, that’s how God works. Things in this life may not be easy – even those tasks that come directly from Him – but He’s always there with us, showing us along the way, not leaving us to flounder around. And he puts people around us to build us up, to encourage us to continue on. I confessed my doubt to God and thanked him for his provision.

I thanked my uncle, too.


Scripture: "If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all." -- Isaiah 7:9b