“Do you believe in God?”

That was the question a stranger once posed to me on a shuttle bus. It’s not a question I’m asked very often, and it took me by surprise, although it really shouldn’t have, considering what had transpired within the past hour.

In anticipation of an early morning flight, I had spent the previous night in a hotel near the airport. The next morning, as I prepared to depart, I uttered a prayer to God, asking Him to use me some way that day to make a difference to someone. I was sincere in offering my availability for His use – admittedly not something I am always good at doing.

Soon, I was on my way. Luggage in hand, I checked out of the hotel and returned my rental car to its home base. From there, I boarded the rental agency’s shuttle bus. Only one other passenger was onboard, and as we were waiting to be transferred to the airport terminal, I busied myself on my phone, checking email, social media, and the news. Suddenly, the other passenger – the man sitting diagonally across the way – began sharing a saga about his defunct relationship with his girlfriend. I briefly acknowledged him as I silently wondered why this stranger was talking to me…and about these personal details. I didn’t particularly want to converse with him, so I continued focusing on my phone. And then he asked the question that stopped me in my tracks: “Do you believe in God?” Suddenly, the answer to why he was engaging me made sense, and I immediately remembered my prayer from earlier that morning. This was the result. This was God answering my prayer to be used of Him.

By this time, other passengers had boarded, and the shuttle was en route to the terminal. I told the stranger, “Yes, I do believe in God,” and our conversation continued. It mostly consisted of me listening to more of his story. The ride was over within minutes, and we were disembarking at different points, but as I left the man, I offered some encouraging words and told him I would pray for him, and he seemed grateful.

I didn’t do very much, but in the limited time I had, I think I did the best I could to extend God’s love to this man. But beyond any difference I made for him, this experience made a difference for me and taught me a sobering lesson I have remembered for years. God really hears and answers our prayers. If we ask Him to use us, He will. I don’t know why that surprised me so. How strange that I took the time to pray to a mighty God in Whom I believe with all my heart, and yet I apparently gave so little credence to His actually answering that prayer and taking me up on my offer. This brings to mind James 1:23-24: “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.” I was fully “in the moment” when I had offered myself for the Lord’s purposes, but as I went on my way, I immediately forgot about it, and perhaps Who He is and who I am in Him.

I am grateful for how God used that experience to deepen my awareness of Him and His responsiveness to His children. The Word of the Lord is true. As Jeremiah 33:3 tell us, “‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Yes, Lord, and thank You!