As a Christian, have you ever had a thought and wondered where it came from? Has anyone ever asked you, "What made you think of that?" Has your response ever been, "I don't know, it just popped in my head"? For years I've been responding with this same conclusion, the "just popped in" theory. However, recently I've discovered that those thoughts, the ones that somehow just pop in, aren't coincidence; they were strategically placed, and for good reason...
During our "Trooper Days", there was one particular evening where my husband and I were craving Wendy's. We shared our thoughts with the Lord and that same night he blessed us with the cash to go get some. So at church, during one of my husband's sets, I was so excited about getting to haveWendy's that I spent several minutes mentally combing the menu in my mind. I had it all mapped out and then suddenly, out of nowhere, I thought, "Mmm, Taco Bell sounds really good too!" I asked myself, "Where in the world did THAT come from?" As we left church, I shared the Wendy's saga story with my husband and he agreed that Taco Bell sounded good, so Taco Bell is where we went. Long story short, a young lady who worked there approached us, letting us know that God had prompted her to ask us to be a part of her life in a very particular way. The Lord has been working through us with this young lady ever since.
THE FAMILY DOWNSTAIRS
One morning, as we were upstairs having a conversation, I thought it would be good if the family downstairs heard what we were discussing. Not because the content was for their benefit, but because I wanted them to know we weren't just lollygagging around, I wanted them to know we were discussing something of significance. The words "That's guilt, honey", popped in my mind. Later, after thinking more on and praying about that, the truth was revealed to me. The devil was tempting me to feel guilty that maybe this family saw us as lazy, so I thought praying in front of them would show them we're doing something productive.
There are many examples of the "just popped in" theory for me, and possibly for you too. The chances are high that those thoughts were put there on purpose, and for many possible reasons. Maybe your steps are being ordered, or perhaps true intentions are revealed. In any case, don't be quick to dismiss those pop-ins...you never know where they might lead.
