Pray about it
It seems to me that we all need wisdom during these challenging times. Don’t you agree? Some of us have lost jobs or important contracts. Others have lost relationships due to death or a COVID-19 stress increase. Life has truly thrown all of us a curveball.
Oops, I’m afraid that Americans understand the baseball analogy of a curveball, but I’ll need a little help from other English-speaking people from around the world. Can you help me find an equivalent example? Are there any cricket players or fans reading A Miracle Every Day? I imagine you have a culturally appropriate sentence.
This is actually a funny example of today’s principle about prayer: sometimes we all need help, and prayer is the perfect vehicle to acquire wisdom. The Bible says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5, NIV)
I must confess that it seems much easier to get a direct answer from my mentor or a pastor, but neither want to tell me what to do most of the time. My mentor would often say, “Paul, just pray about it and see what God says.” He obviously didn’t get my point because I wanted him to tell me God’s will or direction for my life. But he had a lot more wisdom than me. He knew I had to develop wisdom the hard way and learn to hear from God myself.
The Bible points to something called the still, small voice of God. Elijah had a similar struggle with hearing God: “and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave.” (1 Kings 19:12-13, NKJV)
Moses also sought to hear from God. He climbed a mountain, fasted for forty days, and spoke to the Lord face to face. But Moses refused to move forward unless God led him: “‘If You are pleased with me, teach me Your ways so I may know You and continue to find favor with You. Remember that this nation is Your people.’ The LORD replied, ‘My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’ Then Moses said to Him, ‘If Your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.’” (Exodus 33:13-15, NIV)
friend, I want to encourage you to pray about your choices and tune your ears to hear the voice of God. He will help you tap into the right thoughts and wise decisions that will enable you to thrive through these troubled times because you are a miracle.
