Signs Everywhere
Don’t miss the lesson in practicing patience
“So the Jews said to him, ‘What sign do you show for doing these things?’” (John 2:18)
Driving down the highway, I was deluged with signs. There were billboards, fast food restaurant and gas station signs high in the air, traffic signs telling me which exit to take, speed limit signs, and mile markers. My mind had to choose which to observe and which were a distraction I didn’t need. If I glanced at a sign too long I might run into the car in front of me.
When I saw the needle on my dashboard was hovering above the “E”, I started looking in earnest for the gas stations signs that matched the charge card in my wallet. There had been tons along the journey, so where were they now that I needed one? Sure enough, in a few miles, there it was. I had to exit, take a side road and cross the bridge to get to it, but it was worth it. The gas there was actually cheaper than at the few non-brand ones I had passed. Go figure.
The same is true in our lives. We travel down life’s road and there are signs everywhere. Some signs are informational, others offer directions and some are only a distraction. But which ones are from God? There are some signs that are obviously not from God – signs that lead us off the path – but what about the less obvious signs? Are all the signs meant for us?
Recently I was in deep prayer about which direction I should take. But once I got off my knees I immediately began to look for the solution. Was this God-orchestrated? Was that? Is this the answer? No? Well, what about that? Like a child on a scavenger hunt, I was looking everyplace I could. “God, just show me a sign,” I prayed. “How do I know this is from You?”
The answer is everything is from God because He is in control. But, because of our free will, we can use or abuse what He provides. I had not trusted in Him to provide the answer in His timing. Instead, I was impatiently looking for it in all the wrong places, and in a few of the right places, just at the wrong time. I was seeking answers where none existed, then wondering why that sign was given to me. Maybe, it was not for me as much as it was for someone else, and I was just distracted by it, like so many on the highway. Just because the exit is there didn’t mean I was to take it. So, why did I think every sign I saw in my life was an answer to my prayer? And, why did I not trust the right one would be there when I needed it?
On the highway, I could have pulled off at the first gas station sign and paid for it with my debit card. I could have pumped in a few gallons of inferior gasoline to tide me over instead of the kind I knew my car needed to run well. But, I chose to trust that the right sign was still up ahead. Sure enough it was, even though it temporarily led me off the path I was on.
Question: Are you looking for signs, or waiting for God to show you the sign?
12 Responses to “Signs Everywhere”
Leave a Reply
Start a Conversation
Media
What Do You Fear?
What do you fear, and why? Is it holding you back from realizing your full potential?
>Watch
- Contact
- |
- Advertising
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Link to Us
- |
- Media Releases
- |
- What we believe
dear pam– prayer–father God i pray right now for pam for wisdom and guidance about having more children i pray that you God will make it super clear for her on what to do whether they should have more children or not open or close doors for them give her dreams and visions whether they should have more children or not i pray all of this in JESUS name amen. i am praying for you both love sharon
i don’t like the “NO” signs or the “Yield”. God has had to bring me to a place of surrender. i thought i could cry, beg, light candles and walk around with my annointed prayer shawl and THEN He would show me the signs. How immature does this sound? i had to grow in Trusting Him. If a child sees a shiny knife on the counter and wants it so bad and you say “NO” then they cry and scream for it, are you THEN going to give it to them? i hated God’s “No” answers. Too many times i wanted that shiny knife. Now He’s got me in a new place where i can realize He really does know what He’s doing and He will show me “signs” when i stop all the DOING THINGS that i think i have to do to get His attention.
I heard in lecture this week: “We make our own plans, and then we ask God to bless them”… It’s so true what you say about “abusing or using” God’s plan. We are doubting God’s direction if we’re looking for signs. God is never confusing (like signs) either… His direction is so clear. This was so well written. Thanks Julie, I’ve looked for my share of “signs” over the years, but no more signs for me, just a “One Way” sign pointing UP!
Dear Julie,
Always enjoyed reading your devotional. Your way of looking at God’s signs inspires me.
I keep looking for signs about whether we should have more children. Trouble is, I’m not sure what kind of sign I’m looking for. It’s rather like being in a foreign country. Not sure what to do or if I can bear the ramifications either way. Trying to give it over to God, just having troubles.
I think I am better at being patient now and making an effort to see the signs around me. When I was more spiritually immature, I would fret about things and if I had been more patient and calm, outcomes would have been very different. In retrospect, I realize that many of the outcomes had to happen in order for me to be where I am now. I think that we need to be more aware of the signs, if we look for them, they may be deceptive.
WOW timely- I am struggling with am I in the right job place for me at this time and I have done the looking for signs things so many times. . . I LOVE this perspective- stop looking let it come in His time- Funny, I know that but how weak I can be and begin trying to do it myself! THANK you for the peace this messsage brought me this morning- a calm – rest, wait and He will lead me when it is the RIGHT time- whew! I do so love these devotionals! Thanks for you efforts, they do not go unappreciated.
Julie – I was just praying about this very issue this morning. Sometimes I think I am missing the signs God sends me because it takes me too long to process the message. But there are other times I think I am rushing into a solution without waiting for God to direct my actions. All of this leads to my conclusion that God is using these “signs” to instruct me to wait PATIENTLY (something that is so very difficult for me) for the Lord to direct my paths and in so doing build my faith. So I thank you for such an insightful message this morning. I needed reassurance that I am not the only impatient, anxious, fidgety child of God.
Julie, you sure hit the nail on the head for me this morning. I’ve labored over a project for quite some time, watched God open doors, and then yesterday the door was slammed shut. Suddenly.
Did I misread the signs? Did I take a wrong turn? So I’m on my face this morning. Confused and waiting on the Lord to untwist my path and give me clear direction of the glory road — glory to Him and good and straight for me.
DiAne Gates
Yes I am consistently looking for a sign, because of the stressful times I am in…….not thinking clearly, not remembering that He has always been there, not when I thought would be best time but when He knew was the best time. So I have to not panic, my first foolish response, stop my desire to look for a sign that will show me all will be OK. What I am doing with looking for a sign is the same thing as an unbeliever reading a Horoscope in my opinion. There is a real sign that is always there, the Cross of Jesus Christ. He loves me, He died for me, I will spend eternity in His presence, He has provided me His Living Word….all that, if I can calm down and focus on, and trust, is what will bring me peace. Letting go is so difficult, but so rewarding, why is it not my first response to an over whelming situation? But it is my response eventually, I am grateful for that much, I just so want it to be first. The “right” sign is really an “answer” from the Lord in my plight of the moment, when I need it most. That does take patience and trust, pray for me to grasp that Truth consistently and exhibit it in my life! I so desire to wait on His answer and ignore distraction, signs of no value.
This aw so good. God does take care of us.
And, then there’s the big red STOP sign from Him that I ignore, miss, slide through. Lord, make me alert to YOUR signs! Amen