The Way God Works

When things are really bad and we don’t know where else to turn, I think that’s when most people turn to God.  And I suspect for many it is a prayer telling God what to do:  Fix this.  And, as Scripture tells us, He sometimes does just that, just what we pray for.  Miracles do happen.  But I’ve learned that there are many miracles happening, God fixing things, that we didn’t pray for --- and we may not even be aware that something is wrong much less that it is being corrected by the loving touch of God.  As we discussed in one of my Bible Study groups last week, that is why we sow seeds, and trust God to make them grow.  And, as I’ve noted before, I have been blessed on some rare occasions to see the results of His work, using the seeds I have sown.

One thing which is not commented on enough, I don’t believe, is that miracles of lightening bolts from the sky, healings, or impossible events in response to prayer requests do happen, but are rare.  Most often God works through His creations, very often through His children, and most often in subtle ways --- if you are not looking for it, you will miss it.  AND, if you were meant to be a part of making that miracle happen and you miss your role, it may not happen.  We have free will, to do or not to do.  God gives us lots of opportunities to obey His commandments, to Love God and to Love Neighbor, and some of them may be part of God’s small miracles.  Perhaps, I had one today.

I did my usual Tuesday mass and friend visits.  When I returned home after a few hours, I saw a large Christmas pot of flowers on my front porch.  I hadn’t ordered anything like that, so I went over, curious who had sent them.  The attached note said they were from a Catholic Girls High School which I have supported in the past.  The note said the school was recognizing donors with this Christmas gift, and recognizing a donor whose florist shop provided the flowers.  I thought that was a nice thing to do, but since no one visits my house in this Covid time, only I would see them as they continued to bloom. 

Although the sun was out, it was another cold day in Michigan.  People don’t usually walk in the cold weather, but as I stepped off the porch with the flowers, I noticed a woman walking down the sidewalk towards my house.  She might have been a neighbor from down the block, but I didn’t recognize her.  But I felt an urge to ask her: “Do you like flowers?”  “Oh yes,” was a large smiling response.  I said these were a gift from a charity I support but I really don’t need them; would she like them? Then her smile almost wrapped around her head as she gushed: “Oh yes!  Are you sure you don’t want them?”  I just smiled and said: “Enjoy.”

She took the pot of flowers from me, and as she walked away, I could see her staring and staring at the flowers, and smiling and smiling.

I pray the prayer “Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace …” each morning, and today in some way I saw that I was.  As I stepped off my front porch with that plant I could have just as easily ignored the woman and focused on the flowers or other things I might do, but I glanced at the stranger walking by, and I spoke to her.  I think God took over from there, and I let Him.  Sitting here writing, I wonder how many other occasions like that I let pass by?  Who knows how God will continue to make those flowers change lives, in ways according to His plan?  All I know is that when I stopped making my plans, I could quickly see Him at work.  It was a small seed I tossed, but I’m sure His plans for those flowers are much better than mine, even if I never see the outcome.  That’s trusting in Him, not praying “Lord here’s what I want You to do,” but just saying in my heart, “I trust in You.”  At least this one time, I could see how He made me an instrument of His peace.

That’s the way God works, if we let Him.  For ME, I’d love to see the end of the story, but I can just trust and move on.  Perhaps there are other miracles He’d like me to be part of.