Seeing Can Be Deceiving

After everyone had left church today, I was finishing locking up. I had turned the light off in the fellowship hall and then headed to the front of the church to lock the doors. When I was walking back, the light was on again in the fellowship hall. While I paused to try to remember whether I had really turned the lights off, they went off again. I went to a point where I could see the light switch, and no one was there. I looked around the corner to see if someone was by the other light switch and no one was there. Just as I was starting to consider if I was going crazy, I heard a sound by the back door. I peeked down the ramp at the back of the church and found a member that must have forgotten something and was just leaving. Problem solved. I may not be crazy, although the jury is still out on that one. Sometimes we put so much stock in what we see and what we assume to be true that we close ourselves off to what might really be going on. I think that it happens so many times in prayer. God tells us in Luke 11, "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” How many times have we asked God for something, and we don’t see the answer and assume no answer was given. My experience is that many times we ask and then forget about it and miss God’s answers. Also understand that a “Yes” is not the only answer that can be given. God may say “No”, or “Not yet”. I do, however, believe that if we are walking by faith and God puts something on our hearts, He will also bring it to completion. Even Jesus asked God, “If it is possible, take this cup from me (referring to the crucifixion), but not my will, but yours be done”. Jesus prayed in faith, but not according to God’s will. Jesus understood and accepted the answer. Sometimes we think we know or insinuate to God how He might answer our prayer, thus trusting ourselves instead of God’s leading. Our own interpretation will often get us into trouble, but God’s truth will never fail. Help us not to lean on our own understanding. Father, Open our spiritual eyes to see Your will for our lives. Help us to see the world through Your eyes. Amen