Indirect Answers to Prayers, or This is the Only Way I Can Get You to Look in the Right Place

Twice in the last couple of days, I have experienced this phenomena. Here's how it works. I have a problem. In the two instances I was talking about, I was looking for something, and could not find it. I said a prayer. I asked for help and direction to find the lost items.

The first item, a missing book, that my mom was hoping to borrow, I immediately felt directed to go look in my car, which was where I last remembered seeing it. I went to my car, no book. I told my mom, I'm sorry, I can't find it. Walked back in the side door to my house, and immediately comes into view, the book. Of all places, it was sitting on top of the dryer. The perfect location for a gospel principles book. I would not have noticed it, if I had not been walking back in that particular door.

The next item, my stethescope, which I usually keep in the same spot, in my car, was completely elusive, as I was running late for work this morning. Of course, I had taken it out of my car, so my children wouldn't play with it, when I took them to the park on Saturday. I placed it very carefully, somewhere where they would not see it and play with it, and consequently, I later, could not find.

Again, I said a prayer. This time, my answer was to get my back up stethescope, which I hate. I did not want to do that. So, I resisted that answer, and kept looking, everywhere. I was getting later and later by the minute. Finally, I relented, I listened to the voice saying "get your backup", and returned to my closet to reach up and get the backup, when immediately below it, I saw my stethescope, the one I was looking for. I would never have found it in that spot, if I had not gone looking for my backup.

I need to remember, that when God speaks to me, he uses what I know. Seeing as I speak english, most of the time, he does not speak to me in Spanish. Since my attention span is too short for him to give me a descriptive location of where to find my stethescope, instead was the location of another object, I definitely knew the location of, that was very near by. I love that he does this. That He takes where I am physically, emotionally, intellectually, and goes with it.

If I will listen to His direction, I will find what I am looking for, always, just sometimes in a round about way. It isn't just about books and stethescopes, I need His help in so many other areas of my life, in all areas.