Waiting for a "sign"

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jazzbaby1

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So…when you’re making a major life decision, how do you know what you’re doing is God’s plan? Or at God’s urging?

When I was a young born again in the late 80’s we all talked about God “putting thusandsuch on my heart.” I attended a talk with one of Josh McDowell’s associates who said that when he was preparing for a missions trip he would pray and say,“God, if you don’t want me to do this then you need to stop me,” meaning he wouldn’t get funding or something. Is that a correct way to discern something, or is that tempting God?

My DH and I are considering purchasing an inn near Cook’s Forest in Pennsylvania and moving our young family out there. He’s always joked that one day he’s going to quit his job and become a river guide, and there’s a chance that he could do just that. I love the property and am already brainstorming ideas, including installing a rosary walk through the woods and making it available for church retreats. But I want to be sure. Is my DH’s enthusiasm and burning desire to do this enough of a “sign,” for lack of a better term? Or should I even be waiting for a sign and just be packing the house? I really want to do it, too, I just want to be certain that it’s in God’s will for us to do this. Any help or prayer would be greatly appreciated.
 
It’s a two way street… you have to put up the effort too!

There’s a great story that’s often used in homilies and speeches…
I found this version of the story here.…
Most of you have probably heard the old joke about the man stuck on his roof in rising flood waters who just keeps praying to God that God will keep him safe. The waters are rising at an extraordinary pace. The wind is howling. Everyone else in the neighborhood is either already out of danger or on their way. But this man clings to his roof shingles and keeps praying out loud: “God, save me from this danger.”
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        A neighbor floats up in his row boat and cries: “please jump in.”  But the man says: “No, I’ll be okay; God will not let me down.”  A few minutes later, a police launch drives up and begs him to grab the rope to safety.  But again the man says: “No, I’ll be okay.  God will not let me down.”  Finally, a Coast Guard helicopter hovers overhead and its bull-horn urges the man to climb the ladder to safety.  But again the man says: “No thanks!  God will not let me down, I know it.”
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        The waters rage, the wind howls, and the man is finally swept off his roof.  He arrives at the pearly gates where St. Peter says: “God’s been waiting for you.” The man approaches God and in his most perplexed voice says: “How could you let me down that way?  Where were you?”  God looks even more perplexed and says: “Give me a break!  I sent you a rowboat, a launch, and a helicopter.  How could you be so stupid?”
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Now I know your situation isn’t asking God to “save” you… but it’s the same idea… you want a sign that God is helping you in your decisions, right?
Sometimes it may take a little effort… sometimes the “signs” may not be what you expect them to be!

Just keep that in mind… and continue to pray…
He’ll lead you in the right direction! 👍

Good luck with your decision!
 
You can’t be sure. I don’t think God intends for us to use Him like a magic 8 ball. The Divine is with us in all things, when they do work out and when they don’t. No assurances, and things working out are NOT a sign that the Divine is “more” with someone.

Christ was innocent, did everything according to Divine will but was falsely accused, arrested and torturously put to death. That was not a sign that he was doing the wrong thing.
 
And, not to throw another wrench in the works, but there’s also the whole Protestant “prosperity theology” mindset. You know, the “if you work hard enough/remain faithful enough you’ll be blessed with prosperity” Puritan work ethic. The whole notion of redemptive suffering isn’t one that comes into play in that school of thought.

You might be doing everything God could possibly hope for, and still tank on this venture. After all, the Incarnation was born in an animal-filled cave.

On a personal note, the idea DOES sound cool!
God bless,
Cari
 
heard a cute story today about waiting for a sign.
this person grew up Catholic but drifted away after college, as kids do. she of course had a lot of nagging from her family, but eventually after some bad experiences was thinking about coming back to church. She asked God for a sign, and signed up for a pilgrimage at her parish, but was told the tour was full. So she told God, I guess that means you don’t want me to go. The next day she got a call from the tour leader: a space has opened up and something told me to ask you, even though you are on the bottom of the list. She never looked back and now is a real leader and gift to her parish, and instrumental in bringing several other family members back to the faith.
 
Got some great advice a while back. Don’t wait for a sign-Be A Sign.

plato3
 
cheddarsox said:
I don’t think God intends for us to use Him like a magic 8 ball.
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I agree,

" … only an evil generation seeks a sign, therefore none shall be given …"
— words spoken by our Lord in Luke 11:29
 
cheddarsox said:
I don’t think God intends for us to use Him like a magic 8 ball.
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QFT

I know that you normally don’t think about getting philosophical advice from cartoons, but this line has always gotten me thinking:

“Right and wrong are just words. What matters is what you do.”
 
Thank you all for your replies, they’ve been helpful. Catholicism for me has been a quieting of my spirit after some of the dramatic experiences I had or was expected to have as a born again and sometimes I have a hard time seeing the big picture. I didn’t come from the “name it and claim it school,” I came from the “step off the path and you’ll change the future for the worse school.” Among my group of friends, for example, there was the sincere belief that if you didn’t discern and marry “the one” that God had made just for you that you were commiting adultery, even if you were chaste. It was exhausting and tied me up in knots for years. Looking back I can see that that mindset was used to justify a lot of aggressive behavior (“If I’m going to do this then no one can stop me and if you object then you’re against God’s will.”) and also a lot of passive behavior (“I don’t know what God’s will is so I’ll just work at the local convenience store, even though I have a degree, till I figure it out.”). Everyone expected road to Damascus experiences.
 
jazzbaby1 said:
So…when you’re making a major life decision, how do you know what you’re doing is God’s plan? Or at God’s urging?

When I was a young born again in the late 80’s we all talked about God “putting thusandsuch on my heart.” I attended a talk with one of Josh McDowell’s associates who said that when he was preparing for a missions trip he would pray and say,“God, if you don’t want me to do this then you need to stop me,” meaning he wouldn’t get funding or something. Is that a correct way to discern something, or is that tempting God?

My DH and I are considering purchasing an inn near Cook’s Forest in Pennsylvania and moving our young family out there. He’s always joked that one day he’s going to quit his job and become a river guide, and there’s a chance that he could do just that. I love the property and am already brainstorming ideas, including installing a rosary walk through the woods and making it available for church retreats. But I want to be sure. Is my DH’s enthusiasm and burning desire to do this enough of a “sign,” for lack of a better term? Or should I even be waiting for a sign and just be packing the house? I really want to do it, too, I just want to be certain that it’s in God’s will for us to do this. Any help or prayer would be greatly appreciated.
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If you wait for a sign, which you preceive to be a sign, it could either keep you from doing what in your heart you desire, or lead you down a path of distruction.

Discerning God’s will is not an easy task, and often misplaced.
God’s will for us is to know, love and serve him, here on earth, and to enjoy eternal happiness with him in heaven.

So how do we know if a career change, such as yours, is God’s will? We first must pray for God’s guidance, in that our eyes will be open to the realities in our undertaking, and not brush off the red flags that may be actual information, that this idea isn’t such a good one.

My own experience has been, when I’ve gone after something that was my own desire, my heart wasn’t at peace with it, and although my enthusiasm was at first very high, it soon faded. Also, as I pursued it, and I had to force doors open, to continue on, until I was finally forced to give up. I’ve since learned that when I get a fiery idea, to turn it over in prayer to God for a few days. More often than not, the fire goes out and I’m later presented with evidence that the idea would’ve been most harmful to me.

When something I was following was God’s will, I had a peace of heart in it and the doors flung open leading me on. Also, even though the end result wasn’t what I had in mind when I began, the experience was a win win situation.

Jim
 
jazz,

thank you for sharing that last post. I had a Baptist roommate while I was in Dental School, and he must have been from the same camp as you. He was always so stressed about finding “The One” when it came to a spouse. I threw him off one day when I told him, “When you say the vows up at the altar, you know FOR SURE that this is The One, because God KNOWS who you are going to marry, and you are not going to dupe God.”

Incidently, I have a story about “asking for a sign”.

I was, at one point, discerning the priesthood. I was on a discernment retreat and was really wrestling with my vocation. I remember lying in my cabin bed in pitch dark at bedtime with my eyes closed. I was praying for God to give me a sign that I was meant to be a priest. I opened my eyes and said, “God, do you want me to be a priest?” All of a sudden there was a bright flash from the ceiling! Seriously. I got real nervous, paused, and said, “God, is that you.” Another bright flash from the ceiling - an answer to my prayer!!! I said, “God if you want me to…” FLASH AGAIN. I said, “Wait a second.”

I got up, turned on the light, and there was the smoke detector flashing that it was in full, working order. 😃

I don’t ask for those kinds of signs anymore. God has too much fun with those requests, in my opinion.
 
We all have a sign already–it is ion the Bible and the teaching of the Church. What you have planned is not evil. I assume you have the money to start this venture, so you are not knowingly putting your family at risk. Although simply not being too well-off is NOT a risk!

I think you plan sounds great–especially the idea of a Rosary Walk and hosting retreats. If you husband has the skill and drive (physical strength and mental desire) to be a river guide, than he can certainly research and try it out. Again, there is nothing evil, illegal, or immoral in your plan.

Personally, I don’t think God is all that worried about where we live or what job we have, within the constraints of not deliberately doing evil. We can serve Him in all locations and professions. If we are open and willing to be used, we will find ways to bring about His kingdom “on earth as it is in Heaven” in any situation.
 
I agree that it is hard to know and read signs. The human heart is a difficult thing to read, let alone Gods Mind.

But, I have had direct signs from God when most needed. I never pray for them of course. They were a few signs and a very profound answer to prayer to “DO His Will, or Accept His Will.”

For instance, On December 11th of 2005, I was driving to the hospital after Sunday Mass to see my husband. He was very ill with cancer, but things looked like we might still have a chance to fight the cancer and win. I did not pray that God heal my husband…only that His Will, which is perfect be done.

Driving down the road, I repeated over and over the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

I finished that prayer at a stop light just a few blocks from the hospital. There on the other side of the stop light was the hearse from the mortuary. I instantly knew that God’s plan was to take my husband home…there would be no healing in this life.

Strangely enough, that gave me great peace. And when I arrived at the hospital, the doctor was there to tell me, that indeed, they were wrong. There was nothing more they could do to save my husbands life. They had discovered the cancer had spread to his brain and lungs. They said it would be only a matter of hours.

Against all odds…those hours turned into 3 days, and my husband died at the hour of Divine Mercy, whispering “Jesus, I trust in You.” The first and last words he spoke after days of being in coma.
 
cmt said:
I agree that it is hard to know and read signs. The human heart is a difficult thing to read, let alone Gods Mind.

But, I have had direct signs from God when most needed. I never pray for them of course. They were a few signs and a very profound answer to prayer to “DO His Will, or Accept His Will.”

For instance, On December 11th of 2005, I was driving to the hospital after Sunday Mass to see my husband. He was very ill with cancer, but things looked like we might still have a chance to fight the cancer and win. I did not pray that God heal my husband…only that His Will, which is perfect be done.

Driving down the road, I repeated over and over the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

I finished that prayer at a stop light just a few blocks from the hospital. There on the other side of the stop light was the hearse from the mortuary. I instantly knew that God’s plan was to take my husband home…there would be no healing in this life.

Strangely enough, that gave me great peace. And when I arrived at the hospital, the doctor was there to tell me, that indeed, they were wrong. There was nothing more they could do to save my husbands life. They had discovered the cancer had spread to his brain and lungs. They said it would be only a matter of hours.

Against all odds…those hours turned into 3 days, and my husband died at the hour of Divine Mercy, whispering “Jesus, I trust in You.” The first and last words he spoke after days of being in coma.
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I don’t have anything to say to that except wow, what a beautiful testimony…and how amazing that the first and last words he spoke were about how he trusted in Jesus…
 
cmt said:
I agree that it is hard to know and read signs. The human heart is a difficult thing to read, let alone Gods Mind.

But, I have had direct signs from God when most needed. I never pray for them of course. They were a few signs and a very profound answer to prayer to “DO His Will, or Accept His Will.”

For instance, On December 11th of 2005, I was driving to the hospital after Sunday Mass to see my husband. He was very ill with cancer, but things looked like we might still have a chance to fight the cancer and win. I did not pray that God heal my husband…only that His Will, which is perfect be done.

Driving down the road, I repeated over and over the Divine Mercy Chaplet.

I finished that prayer at a stop light just a few blocks from the hospital. There on the other side of the stop light was the hearse from the mortuary. I instantly knew that God’s plan was to take my husband home…there would be no healing in this life.

Strangely enough, that gave me great peace. And when I arrived at the hospital, the doctor was there to tell me, that indeed, they were wrong. There was nothing more they could do to save my husbands life. They had discovered the cancer had spread to his brain and lungs. They said it would be only a matter of hours.

Against all odds…those hours turned into 3 days, and my husband died at the hour of Divine Mercy, whispering “Jesus, I trust in You.” The first and last words he spoke after days of being in coma.
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What a sad story, but, at the same time, at the risk of sounding callous, a happy one as well – happy because if there was ever a case where one could be sure, it would be passing on with last rites (presumably) and a declaration of faith in the Divine Mercy of Jesus. I’m sorry if this sound callous, as I once said the same thing to a girl who’s father died years back. Someday, my parents will die, and I will likely be around to witness it, and it’s one of my most frequent intentions that their deaths be ‘happy’ and they are judged with Mercy, not justice…
 
I’m at a total loss at divining God’s will for me when personal gain is involved at any register.

It’s much clearer what God’s will is to be when it calls for sacrifice.

My 2 cents of experience from the cheap seats.
 
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