I present fervent prayers to God and wait for an answer from Him. That doesn't mean a magical answer comes right away.
That doesn't mean I get to formulate an answer I like in my own mind and call it "from God." It's just not how it works.
I wait. I pray. I seek.
Sometimes I cannot even think beyond a day, because life on its own brings unexpected twists and turns. So, I keep my eyes on just the day ahead of me and wait.
Days and weeks pass. I watch how life plays out on its own without my intervention to control it. I wait for direction one way or the other and for peace with either way.
Last night I was invited to present our rescue mission to an elite group of successful, Christian leaders and youth. It was there sitting in the midst of people united in God that my answer came.
I'm sitting in the middle of a beautiful mansion of a home with approximately 50 people called together for a higher purpose when a couple stood up to speak. Their ministry was horses. Horse therapy. A topic that I am intrigued with, but their presence was simply one of peace.
They had my full attention when there was a voice in my head that spoke while I was listening, "This is your answer."
The husband standing up there with his wife talking about families falling apart, relationships falling apart, homes falling apart, that there is a science to what horses can teach us.
"This is your answer." [Listen]
I find myself almost holding my breath uncertain which direction this is going to go in, but I knew, I was excited that in my waiting there was a clear answer about to quickly be revealed.
"Dr. Petry, when you came to our stables that first day, you asked how you did. I told you that you made a lot of mistakes with Sadie (the horse), but that it was okay, Sadie didn't hold anything against you, she forgave you. The next time you came in you did great, but Sadie made a lot of mistakes while you were working with her, but you forgave Sadie. There will be days when you make mistakes and days when Sadie makes mistakes, but you cannot hold it against one another. Jesus Christ came ..."
My awareness was heightened. I was listening to the voice of God. Not my own reasoning, thoughts, choices or directions.
He didn't come to me in a burning bush or a bright light, but he audibly caught my attention when I was in the midst of a lot going on around me and my attention was focused on my surroundings.
It is the neatest thing in the whole world to pray, wait, and listen to God and then, hear Him when He does answer. It's like trying to explain love, you simply can't.
Just this week doing devotions in the meal ministry before 110 dinner guests as I was about to read the next section in Habakkuk, I asked my listeners, "Can you imagine if when praying and asking God questions what it would be like if He answered? God did answer Habakkuk's questioning and we are about to hear what He said."
God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He didn't just speak to those in the bible thousands of years ago.
If God spoke to people throughout the bible and we know in heaven we will know Him and talk with Him, why on earth do we think he is silent in between? That in between, He doesn't speak to our generation? I believe we are a generation the reads about God of the bible (past), knows He is the God of eternity in heaven (future), but He is silent with us. He isn't. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
When God speaks pay attention.
Pay attention to hear God speak.
