It is so easy to miss the activity of God that is all around us. Jacob fell asleep and had a dream of a ladder to heaven and woke up and said, “Surely God was here, but I was unaware.” (Genesis 28) This would happen elsewhere in the Bible as well. I think that we miss how God may be working in our lives and therefore miss the joy of the activity of His presence. Here are some ways to become a Christian Sherlock Holmes:
- Look for the “slow work” of God in your life.
I must admit this is something I am working on learning right now. I was recently reading a book called The Jesuit Guide to Almost Everything and they brought this idea to me. Sometimes the prayer for overcoming loneliness is answered by an acquaintance we meet who turns into a friend down the road, or a prayer for better finances is answered by developing a new skill that turns into something that becomes our next job. We need to be on the lookout for this kind of activity of God.
Tweet This2. Find the gifts of God in your day.
I write a whole chapter about this in Enjoying Prayer but I was changed by a simple challenge to write down 5 things I was thankful for everyday. It forced me to look for the blessings that every day provided. You can learn more about this at (Enjoying Prayer) or this post (Journal)
3. Make it your habit to ask God to open your eyes to God’s activity.
Elisha was once surrounded by an army that was coming to get him. (2 Kings 6) When his servant freaked out he asked God to open his eyes. When he did the servant was able to see the armies of heaven all around him. Now I am not saying that every time you pray this prayer you will see the armies of heaven, but you might be surprised at what you will see as you go through your day.
Let’s be on the lookout for the activity of Jesus today!