Serving God’s Love

For years, I had been a housewife and a mom when I suddenly found myself in need of a job. I received employment as server for a popular restaurant chain, and this particular location had the highest turnover rate in the state. In the midst of the unfamiliar drama and unstable attitudes, I discovered that this experience was less about earning a living and more about truly learning about God’s awesome love.

A few weeks after my acclimation as a server, I started seeing how our general manager’s anger would be the catalyst to cause me to lean into the Father and become a doer of Luke 6:27-28: “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (NIV). All the staff drama was exhausting, and it whittled at the morale of our work environment. I thought to myself, “I’m a wife, a church going mom, part of a woman’s ministry and I have no time for this rhetoric.”

My attitude was festering with criticism and judgement, but the Holy Spirit divinely interrupted within my spirit: “Teresa, this was once you. You must no longer see this as a job. It is a mission field. See yourself going into this place as a missionary. I have gone before you, now let Me do my work through you.” At that moment, my work experience and attitude began to change. Every day when I went to work, I was intentionally aware of God’s presence. I put on His love and displayed His joy.

One day, after leaving for a couple hours in between a double shift, I decided to grab my check. I went to general manager’s office and knocked on her door, not knowing she was on the phone. She yelled at me and hastily gave me my check. I pretended that her rudeness didn’t bother me and rushed outside with the plan to quit, but the verses of Luke came flooding into my mind. I was so angry with God and shouted outside, “Fine! God, will You bless her!” Even though the action felt faked and forced, it was still faith in action. Suddenly, the miracle of God’s love began to unfold within me and around me.

About three hours later, I had missed a call and realized I had a voicemail from my general manager. In this voicemail, she apologized and pleaded with me to come back to work, and I remembered my mandate to be missionary. As I came in for my second shift, my general manager saw me and embraced me, apologizing again. The other servers were in awe. They had never seen her hug anyone, let alone apologize. They asked “Teresa! What did you do to her?” I was able to share with my co-workers that it wasn’t me, but God working through me.

Several weeks later, the general manager’s birthday was approaching, and Holy Spirit prompted me to buy her a gift and write her a card. The gift was small, as I wasn’t able to afford much, yet the simple gesture would make room for God to reveal Himself. I wrote on the card,

“Remember, the two most important days of your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why you were born.” Click To Tweet

I gave her the gift and went back to my station. Shortly after, I could hear the employees wondering where the general manager had gone. I searched for her and found her in the fry station, standing still and staring at her card. I softly called out her name. As she slowly lifted her head with tears streaming down her face, she whispered, “This is why I am so unhappy. I don’t know why I’m here.”

The supernatural compassion of God wrecked me, and He seemed to embrace her through me. Click To Tweet

During my time working at the restaurant, God awakened me to a deeper revelation of His grace that only came after being pushed to the limits of myself and into the heart of the Father who loves me. Getting a job was truly less about money and more about God’s fervent love for His people. I discovered the beauty of trusting Him and applying His Word in conditions that were difficult. God has called each of us to do good to others and to bless and pray for those we love. But more miraculously, He calls us to do good to others and bless and pray for the people we can’t love on our own. We can trust that God will love them through us.

Scripture

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31 NIV).

Abide

Teach me to love as You love, Father. Let me be so full of love from You that it spills from my heart and life onto the world around me. Thank You for giving me a love that I don’t deserve, and for saving me when I was still far from You.

Overflow

Is there someone in your life who needs to experience God’s love? Sometimes the angriest people are carrying around the most hurt. Can you offer a gentle word or a small gesture of goodwill today?

Writer

Teresa Ann is the founder and talk show host of LET’s Talk with Teresa Ann♡ via both her podcast and YouTube channels. She is also a self-published author of the book, God is Enthralled by Your Beauty, and the blogs Triumphant Victorious Reminders and The Pee Diaries of a Laughing Mom. Teresa Ann LOVES using many adjectives and truly enjoys exploring the scenic route when telling a story! She is known for her loud laughter, yet God’s gentle words as she echoes His Word into the hearts of women to simply point them back to the Father GOD. Her heart’s desire is that women will begin to see into the mirror of God’s Word. Every chance she gets, she loves to come alongside her daughter to minister to every day people while they help them to discover the treasures of God and convey just how extraordinary God has made them. Teresa Ann enjoys articulating how our lives are to be a sign, wonder and miracle that point others to the Father GOD as HE flips the script in our lives to see no longer from the place of lack but from GOD’S abundant life!

You can find Teresa Ann at her Blog, Instagram, Email, Youtube and Facebook