Have you ever seen God move in someone else’s life in a miraculous way and thought, “Dang, why won’t God would move like that for me?”
Recently, I had this thought.
Last weekend I sat in a service where dozens of women had an experience with God, and even though I tried, it just didn’t happen for me. The speaker led us through an exercise in hearing the voice of God, and despite the testimonies at the lunch that followed describing how vividly God had spoken to them I came up blank. The lesson had passed me by without so much as a glance and I felt disappointed, and left out.
Not a good feeling to end the weekend with.
So I went home, and tried again on my own. Still nothing. I chewed on it the rest of the evening, trying not to give in to the feelings of frustration and sorrow that I had missed an opportunity to hear from God, pushed it from my mind, and went to bed.
The next morning during my devotions I decided to give it another go. I asked the first question and…nothing. “What was wrong with me?” I asked myself. Why isn’t God speaking to me like everyone else? I tried, really tried, to follow the exercise but I just couldn’t get it. Why? WHY???? Everyone else I was with heard His voice, so what was up with me?
Two words. Just two little words popped into my mind, and set me free.
He said, “It’s okay.”
Memories bubbled up to the surface of my heart, specific times that I definitely, clearly, heard God speaking to me over the years. And I realized that God doesn’t work under a one-size-fits-all perspective.
You see, I don’t have to have the same experience with God as everyone else. His divine encounters in my life are as unique as the fingerprints that grace my finger tips. I am uniquely created, so why shouldn’t my encounters with God be just as unique?
The beauty of a personal relationship with Christ is that it’s…well…personal. He gets me. He knows how to reach me. He knows how to get my attention. He knows what makes me tick and what makes me tock. I can rejoice with my sister’s in Christ when they hear from God because I know that I’m not missing out. God said “It’s okay,” and that’s enough.