Mission with Prophetic Power: The Journal of John Woolman (SRSC 12)

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Mission with Prophetic Power: The Journal of John Woolman

And of course, we must remember that we are but instruments in the ministry of tough talking. We do the best we can, but Woolman is clear that the most important work is accomplished by the Holy Spirit. The Lord “preserved my mind in calmness under some sharp conflicts.” “Through the strength of that love which is stronger than death, tenderness of heart was often felt amongst us in our visits.” “I felt an engagement on my mind to have a conference with them in private, concerning their slaves; and through divine aid I was favored to speak to them about this.” What this means in our own practice of tough talking is that we try our best to remain prayerful during our difficult conversations. We share sincerely from our own experience. We recognize consciously that we are having this conversation both for God and for others. We remember that we are not alone (and that at times we need not be alone physically), and that the most important work is really accomplished by the Holy Spirit. Try becoming aware of these things in the midst of your next tough talk. Over time it can become more and more natural. Finally, give time to prayerfully review the conversation after it ended. What happened? How did we feel? What did we see going on in the other person or people? Where did we see God? As I mentioned above, I think that Woolman’s Journal itself was a means of him processing what he experienced in meetings. He writes that “I often saw the necessity of keeping down to that root from whence our concern* proceeded.” This comment is clearly the fruit of reflection after the (3) Review Prayerfully After the Conversation