This past fall I was given an exciting opportunity. My initial reaction was “YES!” but I told the person who extended the invitation, “I want to pray about it and talk to my husband before saying yes, although that’s my gut response.”
Being someone with a strong faith, she agreed and waited patiently, praying as well. I prayed, and didn’t hear an answer. Nothing. Not yes, not no, not maybe … nothing.
About a month later, I was issued another invitation and my gut reaction, instead of “YES!” was turmoil. Something felt off, something felt wrong, and while I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what it was, it didn’t set well with me. At all.
For this opportunity, I prayed immediately and waited for God to answer … and again heard nothing. I talked to my husband, and he suggested we pray about it too. And again, I didn’t get yes, no, or maybe. I got nothing.
That night God invited me to get up early and have some time alone with Him, in the quiet of the house. I wasn’t purposefully praying about either opportunity. I was simply sitting in silence, and that’s when God answered.
He reminded me about the first opportunity and how it was in direct opposition to the second opportunity. He reminded me about very specific details of the first opportunity which answered the questions that had me in turmoil about the second opportunity. And it was then I felt immediate peace. Not “kinda” peace, not “maybe” peace, but full, all-encompassing peace. And that peace has remained just as strong for the last month as it did the night God gave it to me.
When I contacted the person about the first opportunity and said God had given me the green light, it was met with enthusiasm. And God allowed the second opportunity to quietly fade into the distance, never having to be dealt with again.
I realized that while God never changes His promises, His decrees and His love for us, He sometimes will mix up from time to time the way He answers us. I was thinking God would answer in ways He had in the past … yet He had something different to teach me in this season of my life by answering me the way He did.
I don’t really care how God answers me. I’m just grateful He does, and also grateful for how personal He is with His answers. And I always know which are His answers because they come with unexplainable and constant peace.
© Cheri Swalwell 2020