Article: Being Open to God

We all want to believe we are open to God’s message. I am certain all followers of Christ want this. We are working our way to the Father and listening for direction. But while we are all on our own journey to God,  listening to God and striving to understand … what he wants us to do can seem difficult at times.

I think the challenge starts because being the resourceful and driven folks we are we tend to make decisions on what is best and what is needed and then ask for God to bless our choice. Often times we don’t understand why we don’t end up with the results we would like. We think we seek God and his message with open hearts and minds. 

Unfortunately, with the influences of this world we might not be as open to God as we believe. 

The world we live in is constantly sending us messages of what we should want…what we must deserve…who we should be…what profession would be best….it is a constant barrage of images and sounds that nag and plead and cajole us into believing that the image of ourselves that this world presents to us is the best one. This image, this noise often starts to color our choices. So instead of being open to God we are offering him options based on what a non-believing world has in mind for us. None of which might be what our Father in Heaven intended for us. We end up wondering why God doesn’t listen.

As beloved sons and daughters of God (you know you are beloved don’t you) we are special creations that God loved before we were placed on this earth and will love long after we leave this life. So we know that what we should be focused on is not what this world is offering to us but what God wants for us. But the question remains, what does that mean?

First, remember we are loved by God as we are at this moment. Secondly, his joy or peace in this life is ours for the taking if we are truly open to God. It might not result in riches, the finest clothing or even the biggest houses. But a day doesn’t pass when the news doesn’t remind us of the failure of fame and fortune to secure happiness.

As beloved children of God we need to take a moment and ask God what he wants….we don’t need to give him an enumerated list of what choices he can have. We need to have our heart truly ready for his answer, and most importantly follow him no matter where he leads us. He will lead us and help us with life’s choices, even the smallest or largest decisions. I learned this listen first hand recently when  my wife Helen and I moved back to Austin.

As many of you know we had been gone for several years. We carefully planned our move and what we wanted in a house and what features it needed to have to be a likely candidate.Through careful planning we thought we had a pretty solid list of what we wanted in a house. Helen wanted a granite counter kitchen, gas oven, wood floors. I wanted a walk in shower and a big space for my wood working. I also wanted one floor so I didn’t have to climb stairs every day.

When Jeff Kress, our good friend, parishioner and Realtor took us around he showed us many houses with everything we wanted. But even after going from house to house something was missing, They weren’t quite the right fit for us. After what seemed like 15 or so houses he took me to a house that didn’t have a granite counter top, it didn’t have a walk in shower, it didn’t have all wood floors or even a great place for wood working. But it had a courtyard that when I first saw it I knew this was our house. I hadn’t seen any other part of the house yet but upon stepping into the courtyard I knew what we really needed; a place of peace and quiet and a place to pray. I instantly knew we would find peace and quiet there and be able to sit and feel God’s presence there. A year later it is everything I needed and nothing I had asked for and we are very happy.

This is how God works with us. He gives us what we really need. We need to be open to really hear what he wants for us, not what we might think we want.

 In the end as beloved children of God our primary goal should be communion with God. So all our decisions need to be made with God beside us and present in our life. It is then we will find not only the right answers but the right questions that will lead us to the peace and joy God wants for us all.