One of my favorite topics today. Here’s a column from a few years ago …
Jesus is pretty clear in today’s Gospel: “An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign.”
Yikes! I’ve been doing this for quite some time.
Not that I want to put Jesus to the test and demand that he prove he is God. But more along the lines of smaller signs to prove to myself that I am doing the right thing.
Just about every time I reach a fork in the road, I ask God to spoon-feed me a clear sign so that I make the right decision. Sometimes, I feel I receive a sign, or at least a bit of a signal. Other times … nothing.
I firmly believe that God gives us many signs as we journey along in our lives. The problem is, we are not open to seeing them, or we are not looking in the right direction … or the sign is not something we were expecting (or hoping for) so we ignore it.
How do these signs come at us? Lightning bolts? Thunder? An earthquake?
Seldom are they this dramatic. And rarely do they come right on cue, like in the movies … but you never know.
Often they are tiny little whispers in nature. True story: I once voiced a doubt of faith and was immediately greeted by a hummingbird that hovered in front of my nose for at least 10 seconds before flying away. (Either that was a clear sign, or my nose was ruby red that day and the bird was confused.)
The important thing, I believe, is that I took it as a sign from God that YES, this faith is real and true … and I began what has become a very long spiritual journey that continues today. Signs can also be contained in the words and gestures of a friend. And maybe, just maybe, you are that friend. This is why we should take care to always be positive, caring and loving to others. The words that we say to others could be taken as signs by them.
Imagine, the next time you are in traffic congestion … rather than honking your horn or cursing out the window, you calmly wave, smile and let someone cut in front of you. You may think it is nothing, but to the other guy – and really, do we ever know what is going on inside the minds and hearts of strangers we meet? – to that other guy, that could be the sign they were looking for that day.
We really can’t waste these opportunities to look for a sign or to cooperate with God in granting someone else’s wish for a sign. I believe there are a few keys to the God-sign question:
Openness: If you ask for a sign, be willing to accept a sign that points you in a different direction than what you expected (or coveted).
Awareness: Open yourself … not just your eyes and ears, but your heart and soul. Be truly open to hear God’s message … and perhaps you will.
Prayer: Don’t seek signs in the heat of a dramatic moment. Take it to prayer and ask the Lord for guidance and affirmation while there.
Discernment: This is a very important step. We must not blindly follow what we “feel” is a sign. It could be a false sign. Or it could be a sign from the devil, who does a great job of disguising himself to be “almost like God” but never quite enough. Are you able to tell the difference? Discern your signs through prayer, meditation and spiritual direction.
By all means, don’t be afraid to ask for a sign. Just don’t be disappointed if it doesn’t come on time and in the form you believe it should be.
God works … but he works in mysterious ways.
Or at least that’s what I think. Am I right, God? Show me a sign …
