I recently had surgery. God uses everything to teach us deeper truths. I looked down at the healing wounds on my abdomen and just thanked Him that I felt better. Yes, I was healing from surgery, but those markings were a “sign” that something had happened there. If someone who didn’t know me saw this, they would instinctively know that there’s a story. There was a lot of pain and discomfort that led up to these seeming “wounds”. They may have looked painful but the surgical pain was absolutely nothing compared to the pain I was experiencing before the procedure. Then there was the way God orchestrated everything to get me help in just the right time, with just the right surgeon and to be surrounded by just the right people. What a story! If all you saw were the scars afterwards, you wouldn’t know any of this. They prove just to be a sign pointing you to the real thing.
God, in His infinite wisdom, knew we humans would need signs. Even the birth of Jesus needed to be proclaimed so we would know the Truth. All right then, the Lord Himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). (Isaiah 7:14 NLT) This was precisely one of the ways people knew that He was the Messiah.
When you’re headed to the beach with kids in the car, you breathe a sigh of relief when you see the sign for “Daytona 25 miles”. You’re not there yet. The sign isn’t your destination. It’s telling you, “Hang in there. You’ve almost made it!” You can finally give the questioning kids a very good answer to the famous, “Are we there yet?” This is an obvious sign that memorable moments are just around the corner!
What about the signs that aren’t so obvious? Nobody’s wearing a shirt that says, “I live in an abusive household so I’m angry.” These are the signs that we, as fellow human beings, have to watch out for. When someone starts yelling at the checkout clerk in the grocery store, there’s a whole lot more going on than just something ringing up incorrectly. That person is obviously dealing with wounds we can’t see with the naked eye. They’re apparently hurting. We tend to look at them like, “I cannot believe you’re acting like this over something so silly. How rude!” Maybe take a moment, show a little mercy and pray for that individual. You really have no idea what they’re really dealing with. Hurting people, hurt people. That even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!). (Ephesians 2:5 NLT) We were shown mercy by God, Himself. Try returning the favor. Pray!
Be sensitive to signs. God may just be pointing you in a direction that He wants to use you. Be attentive to the Holy Spirit’s promptings. He may be telling you to turn right instead of left for your protection. We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps (Proverbs 16:9 NLT). Signs in the natural are everywhere to help us navigate life. God wants us to be aware of signs in our spiritual lives. We need to be intentional about meeting with Him. We need to select friends who help build us up and keep it between the lines. We need not ignore warning signs that pop up every time we’re around certain individuals. God has put those warning signs there for safety. We need to not be so self- absorbed that we turn a deaf ear to a friend or family member calling out for help without saying a word. We need to see the signs and step in. The signs that really have an impact on our lives aren’t always so obvious.
Today’s guest writer is Brandi Crowe. A hairdresser for over 25 years, she is currently the owner of Brandi Crowe salon in Buford, GA. She loves hiking, a good cup of coffee, and spending time with family and friends. Brandi lives in a custom farmhouse with her husband Robby and cat Harold.
