“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
I was often angry at God when I was younger. I thought He was supposed to talk to me when I asked a question. I expected a yes or a no whenever I prayed. I expected a sign. I expected it loud and clear. Little did I know, this is not how He works. God works in very non traditional methods. He can split the sea, He can send a whale, He can even use a chariot of fire. So, is that how God communicates? Well, yes and no. He also speaks to His people, literally. But most importantly, He says “no” through events, other people and even weather.
Let me tell you a story. There was once a family who was late to a family dinner that starts at 7pm. The family kept getting phone calls and had to run errands. For some reason, the family felt like God was telling them to stay home. They ended up leaving the house at 7:30pm. On their way there, there was a huge fire in the middle of the road. This fire started at about 7pm, in the exact spot they were going to be. The family was shocked at the sequence of events that day. They could’ve easily died in that fire if it weren’t for the delays on the way. This is a way of God’s “no”. He didn’t intervene in anyone’s life, but He clearly said “no” to being on time so that He can save the family.
In our hearts, we know the answer. The Holy Spirit screams the voice of Truth in our being so that we can make the right decision. Ezekiel 2:2 says, “As He spoke to me the Spirit entered me and set me on my feet; and I heard Him speaking to me.” We are free to make the right decision, but God will always say “no” in our heart when needed. There’s an unnatural unease when we make the wrong decisions, whether there are consequences or not.
We see this all around us. If there are too many roadblocks or closed doors when we’re making a decision, God could be saying no. If there’s too much anxiety, God could be saying no. God can also use nature to say no.
God can also say yes. I like to call these “knife in butter” decisions. When we’re making a decision and all the doors are open, God can be saying yes. If He allows it, it will be clear. It’s like we stick a knife in butter and it’s so smooth.
Let me end with another story. God made his answer very clear to me when I was praying for a sign to be with my fiance. I was still looking for “signs” before I realized that it’s more of an “open door” or “closed door” answer. I wasn’t very sure what I should do. I prayed for what seemed like years. I was anxious and scared and more importantly, very angry at other things in my life. That was a clear “no” at the time. I was not ready. A year later, my fiance was still here. God opened doors for us. For example, he helped me become stable in my job, my education, my spiritual life, and my personal journey. He was clearly saying “yes”. I was at ease. I was calm and I was ready for all the work a relationship needed. Of course, the green light from my father of confession was there! To end, here’s my absolute favorite verse that truly talks about God’s will for us:
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thess 5:16-18)