36 Then Gideon said to God, “If You will deliver Israel [a]through me, as You have spoken, 37 behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I will know that You will deliver Israel [b]through me, as You have spoken.” 38 And it was so. When he arose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece, he drained the dew from the fleece, a bowl full of water. 39 Then Gideon said to God, “Do not let Your anger burn against me that I may speak once more; please let me make a test once more with the fleece, let it now be dry only on the fleece, and let there be dew on all the ground.”40 God did so that night; for it was dry only on the fleece, and dew was on all the ground.
Over the past decade or so, as I’ve worked to get my life really right with God, Ive asked Him to show me signs that I’m on the “right” path… signs that I’m doing what He wants me to.
The first time I recall asking was when I realized that perhaps teaching music was part of God’s plan for my studio/coffee shop idea, which I felt was an idea planted by God. Oddly enough, as i periodically sketched out ideas about a “coffee shop”, I was focused on coffee and music venue, but had not really considered lessons. I began teaching lessons as a side gig in 2012 when my husband was hurt and off work for an extended period of time. It was a way for us to make enough extra money to pay for our own kids’ music lessons. I had been teaching a couple students just on Monday nights when I had the aha moment that perhaps this was part of the plan all along. I prayed and asked God that, if it was indeed part of His plan, that He would provide students.
Within a relatively short period of time, my students brought referrals to me and my home studio exploded into 27 students. At first, I was only teaching on Mondays… then I said I’d open up Tuesdays… and now I’m literally teaching 5 days a week in addition to my full time job .
I always viewed asking God for a sign as a sign of weak faith until my pastor friend showed me this passage.
Over the past four months, as I look back at this baby business trying to get off the ground, facing Rob’s health issues and a host of relationships challenges, I find myself asking for signs once again. I can almost not count the number of different types of signs I believe I’ve received this week alone… from lesson referrals, to chance meetings with artists, and a somewhat random connection to a couple of old friends of Robs, with whom I will have lunch today.
I am confident of this… that He is in control and using me for a purpose that I cannot fully comprehend… to reach people for Him. I pray that He will find me faithful to His purpose.
I know how I would like all of this to turn out… and I’ve made my request known to Him. My desire is that God would heal Robs body and mind and use him to tell his story to reach people who need to know the transforming power of Jesus. But I know that He has a more Divine purpose, and I am at complete peace that, even if He doesn’t answer my prayer the way I want Him to, that He will use our present circumstances to bring glory to His name.
I am waiting expectantly to see Him shine!
Be blessed today, my friends
SB
Journey-For-Life 