“Peace comes from having divine guidance and inspiration—connecting to the Divine.”
Laura Lane from ‘I Touch the Heavens’
Recently my wonderful friend Janet gave me a copy of the book “The Shack.” I know I am a little late to the party and I guess I have been living under a rock as I had never heard of this New York Times Bestselling book and critically acclaimed Movie.
There are so many things within this story that I could touch on but the idea that struck me the most was how we each individually think about and imagine God to be. For the main character Mackenzie and his wife and their family, their name for God was Papa, a father and grandfather type figure who they could talk to with ease.
In my life I feel I have a very close relationship with my Heavenly Father and have come to see him as my protector, my mentor and teacher. He has always gently guided me to where I need to go, to who I need to meet and prompted me on the things I need to do in this life both for my own good and to help others.
He has answered my prayers for help, protected me from harm and comforted me in my deepest sorrows. I trust him completely and will go wherever he sends me.
That same friend Janet and I have had some wonderful conversations about how Heavenly Father answers our prayers.
What I have learned is that He doesn’t do everything for us, just what we ask then He waits until we ask for the next thing, much like a teacher who gives us an assignment and waits until we ask for help or the next step. I finally see how prayer and the need for continual prayer works.
I have learned that it is in the pauses or time between prayers, is for us to do our work and learning and growth. Heavenly Father is the ultimate mentor.
When I look at Heavenly Father this way, I can see how this completely changes or up levels my communication with Heavenly Father from needy, whiny child to competent student.
Just like with my mentor Tom, my goal is to become one of my Heavenly Father’s best students, ready to learn everything He wants to teach me. I know I can express my goals and desires to Him and completely expect He will guide me every step of the way, as long as I keep coming to him for advice.
I just need to keep showing up with questions and be willing to listen to His answers. I can learn to be clear on where I am going and what I want to accomplish in my time here on earth.
I know that God wants me to work with Him, partner with Him in the things I do in my life and as I show care and concern for those around me as well. He can and will show me the way to accomplish these desires.
My job is to remember to not leave the house without Him.
Just as a master teacher or tutor will approach a problem or question from multiple sources until a solution finally works for the student, He will keep sending me different ways to help me until I find one that works for me. Each one of us learns differently. Heavenly Father is the master teacher.
When the scriptures tell us that He will open the windows of Heaven and pour out blessings that there won’t be enough room to receive it, I believe that what Heavenly Father is promising, is that He willing to pour into us all the light and knowledge we need to succeed in life.
Answers to our prayers come not by handing us a fish but by teaching us how to fish and where to cast our nets and how big a boat we are going to need to haul it all in and sending friends to help us to harvest the bounty.
What would happen if our prayers changed from ‘I need …’, ‘I want…’, or ‘I wish you would…..’ to ‘Can I partner with you Heavenly Father to make this wonderful thing happen in my life or the life of my loved ones?’ and “What do I need to do next to improve things?’ and “What’s your best advice for me to get through this obstacle or difficulty?”
What are the sorts of things that you pray for right now that could benefit from a new approach and an understanding that the real answers you need will come by partnering with and allowing God to mentor you through life and it’s challenges?
“God wants me to work with Him, partner with Him. My job is to remember to not leave the house without Him.”
Laura Lane from ‘I Touch the Heavens’