June 30, 2009 By: Elmer Category: God in our lives
I always try to keep a positive attitude.
For the most part, I believe that I have a pretty good life and overall there really isn’t a lot for me to be in much of a bad mood about. However, like everyone else, from time to time it happens. The reason for my getting in a bad mood is generally due to life stresses that we all face on a daily basis.
As much as I might try to keep a fairly level head and calm attitude, there are times that it seems that certain things “catch up to me”. However, when they do, I always try to relax and return to the fact that I do have a pretty good life.
Sometimes, even though I have faith that my life is playing out the way that God wants it to, I need a little reassurance to let me know that all is still good. So when I do, I will ask God to give me some kind of sign that whatever I am troubled over is going to be alright.
I am always surprised with the answer that I get.
The other night, while at the end of a vacation, I was a little upset about what seemed to be a lot of little things. I was sitting at a restaurant on the water and had just watched a beautiful sunset. After the sun had set and the sky had darkened, I was thinking about why I was upset and, as I do sometimes, I asked God to give me a sign to let me know that everything was okay. As I asked that, simultaneously a star appeared in the sky and a light from a boat appeared on the horizon. I was wondering if this was supposed to mean something when a thought popped into my head: I am like a boat at sea navigating with a sextant and God is my guiding star.
I started wondering to myself if I was just making this all up in my mind; so, I asked if this was really the sign I was supposed to get. At that moment one of the biggest shooting stars that I have ever seen shot straight across the sky right towards the boat and the star. I knew that I was not alone – God was with me – and that all was going to be alright. So I gave my troubles up to God and enjoyed the rest of my evening.
God gives us signs all of the time. In case we don’t see the signs, we have been told by God that we should not fear anything because He is always with us.
If we look to the bible for how God’s love for us helps us through difficult to troubling times, we can find the following passages:
Psalm 94:18-19 says “When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your love, O LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.
1 Peter 5:6-7 tells us “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
God does help us navigate through the daily stresses of life and He is always there with us. So next time you are feeling stressed, reflect on the two passages above and ask God for a sign that everything will be okay. Once you do, keep yourself open as you never know how His sign might come to you.
