I believe in prayer. I have faith in its power. And I know that God works many miracles in my life. Some I have seen; many more I am unaware of. He has blessed me and answered my prayers in more ways then I could ever count.
But what if you pray and pray about something and it appears that you don't get an answer? I don't mean praying for something like money or a car (no matter how badly needed) but a prayer for guidance or direction. A prayer that asks if what you are doing is the right thing or asking that, if not, God letting you know that you need to change course.
How do you know if God is saying “no” or if He is saying “not right now”? In my own case I am praying to God to lead me to where I should look for work in my chosen profession. I am not asking Him to find me a job. I just need direction or encouragement to keep looking. But nothing is happening. I keep applying for the same few jobs with the same results. I don't make it past the application review. I understand that the economy couldn't be worse for someone entering a field that they have very limited experience in, but I still need to find that first job in the field.
But what if God is answering my prayers and is just saying “no”? Maybe in his great plan for me I am not meant to work in this field. I always end my prayers with the phrase ”above all else, Thy will be done”. It could be that I am trying to get a job that is not what God wants for me. So then He is answering my prayers, just not in the way I hoped He would. If so, I need to immediately rethink my career possibilities, taking into consideration my education and experience.
Or what if God's answer is “not right now”? I have a lot of responsibilities in my life right now. I am the sole transportation for several people to get to doctor's appointments and to and from school. I also am the back-up plan for some people to get to work. In addition, I also need to run the kind of errands that require me to go to offices or businesses during the daytime hours. In many cases only I can do this. And I also am still dealing with the occasional health issues of my own, such as my recent 3 day hospital stay. What if God is answering me by saying “not right now; you are needed more elsewhere”? I don't want to finally get a job in my chosen profession only to lose it because my outside responsibilities keep interfering with the job. That would make it even harder to get the next job. If this is God's answer then I should just stress less and keep job hunting but not feel like every rejection is another brick in the wall to a job.
So how do I know what God's answer is? I trust God; it is my own failure to understand His answer that is making me uncertain and worried. We are “okay” for now on money, but that is not going to last forever.
“God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform” William Cowper (1731-1800).
I just need a hint.
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