One of the most common questions I get as a pastor/minister is, “Perry, you say you see God in BLANK…or that you hear from God…why don’t I have the same things happen to me?”
My response isn’t always what people want to hear, nonetheless it remains the same, “Maybe you just aren’t looking for Him.”
I once heard John Maxwell teach a lesson and one of His points was, “We see what we are prepared to see.” The older I get the more I am convinced that is true. In fact, I had an experience with Charisse the other day that illustrated this so clearly.
As I have often talked about on this site and at church…Charisse loves birds! (By the way, thanks Greg for the purple bird–she LOVE’S IT!!!) Bird was one of the first words she said that I am fully convinced she knew what it meant.
So…one day we were in the front yard and I quickly glanced up at the sky to see if I could find a bird…but I didn’t see one.
Within a matter of seconds her eyes got huge & she pointed to the sky saying, “bird, bird!”
I smiled at her “imagination” and was about to explain to her that there were no birds in the sky…but before doing so I looked at the direction she was pointing and there were literally about 20 birds flying around.
There is a reason I didn’t see the birds & she did…she was purposefully looking for them–I wasn’t!
It’s the same thing with us and our relationship with God. You see, God is ALWAYS at work (John 5:17), He is ALWAYS speaking. He is ALWAYS obvious–even in the ordinary! (Seriously, the sunsets He paints every evening are AMAZING!)
It’s just that often times we aren’t really looking for Him…but merely giving quick glances His way…
Questions for you…if you don’t mind…
When was the last time you came to church & begged God to reveal Himself to you? Or…is it your goal to get in and get out?
When was the last time you prayed over your food and GENUINELY did so with a thankful heart? Or…are you still using that prayer you memorized 20 years ago? (”Bless us, help us and guide us…”)
When was the last time you prayed before reading the Scriptures and asked God to get personal? Or…do you read the Bible to try and see what is wrong with “those other people?”
When was the last time you allowed God to place HIS passion into you? Or…are you to busy trying to instill your passion into Him?
We see what we are prepared to see!
God isn’t playing some game of hide & go seek!!! He WANTS us to know HIM!!! (Jeremiah 29:13 is a hint as to how! He WANTS us to see Him!!! He WANTS us to grow in Him!
Maybe our prayer needs to stop being for Him to reveal Himself and switch to begging Him to let us see what’s He’s already tried to make obvious.
THAT WOULD BE LIFE CHANGING!
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