Have you ever gone on a God Hunt? A God Hunt begins when you teach yourself to look for God’s hand at work in the every day occurrences of your life. Here’s one of my personal God Hunt Sightings:
We had a cancellation in our schedule this week—a standing Wednesday-morning appointment. Generally, when this happens, (no matter who cancels), David and I are glad. People who cancel are often contrite and apologize, but I truthfully can’t remember when David and I felt insulted or shafted because someone canceled out on us. We generally tell them not to worry and David and I say to one another, “Yeah!” It means we have a free space in the day where there had been no free space the day before.
I had been dancing around the scheduling book of a hairdresser who goes to our church, trying to get my little four-year old granddaughter in for a haircut. Her parents had given her a beauty-parlor kit for Christmas, so like any four-year-old, she took some scissors (not from the kit, of course) and whacked off a chunk of her hair. Angela, my daughter-in-law and Eliana’s mother, did a pretty good job of shaping everything by turning the “whacko” job into a darling bob—but it still needed a professional’s touch to finesse it.
However, Eliana’s schedule didn’t match Nancy, the beautician’s, schedule. So we went into lengthy negotiations.
Tuesday evening, after David and I had received word of the next morning’s cancellation, Nancy called me and said, “Guess what! I had a cancellation for tomorrow morning. Can your granddaughter make that?” I realized Eliana would be at daycare, several towns west of us. But suddenly I had a thought—I needed to get into the beauty parlor myself since I was leaving town to spend my 69th birthday with my eldest son and his family in Phoenix.
“Oh, I’ve just had a cancellation in my schedule,” I thought out loud. “Why don’t I take that appointment? Give me your address and I’ll see you tomorrow morning.” I had wanted to get to know Nancy a little better, so we took care of my neglected hair and had a little chat at the same time.
Wednesday morning, as I was leaving with a great haircut (and $63 dollars less in my bank account), Nancy said, “Oh Pam (a mutual friend) will be in the shop this afternoon.”
“Say hi to her for me,” I replied chuckling, since it was Pam and her husband who had canceled the Wednesday morning appointment!
Sometimes it is hard to recognize that the cancellations in our lives are often the very means by which God gives us space, by which He intervenes in our behalf, by which He rearranges our overcrowded lives.
I’ve learned to never complain about unexpected cancellations. At this stage in my life, I think to myself, Hm-m-m-m-m, I wonder what God has up His sleeve? Generally, what follows after this inward reminder is a heightened curiosity that more than makes up for any potential disappointment.
Look for God in the cancellations.
I spy God!
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Award-winning author Karen Mains has long had an interest in spiritual formation and the obedient Christian walk. She has written about the God Hunt in her book by the same name, The God Hunt: The Delightful Chase and the Wonder of Being Found. A hardback copy can be ordered from Mainstay Ministries for $10.00 plus $4.95 shipping and handling. Contact Karen at info@mainstayministries.org and she will be happy to autograph a copy for you.
Karen continues to write content for her Christian blog, “Thoughts-by-Karen-Mains.” In so doing, she desires to touch the lives of Christian women and men and help them find ways to walk closer with the Lord Jesus Christ. In addition, through silent retreats, spiritual teaching, women’s retreats, Christian vacation opportunities, and other ministry activities, Karen helps each Christian woman and man receive vital spiritual food.
Through her Hungry Souls ministry, Karen serves as a spiritual coach to many Christian women and men, and teaches a mentor-writing class. And, through the Global Bag Project, she is working to develop a network of African women who sew exquisite cloth reusable shopping bags, Africa bags. This micro-finance women opportunity helps provide a much-needed sustainable income for struggling African families. For more information on this critically important project, please click here.
For decades, Karen and her husband, David, have served God through religious communications—radio, television, and print publication. They are the co-authors of the Kingdom Tales Trilogy: Tales of the Kingdom, Tales of the Resistance, and Tales of the Restoration. To find many valuable resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries main website, please click here.
Likewise, pastors will find special resources to help them prepare effective, life-transforming Sunday sermons by visiting David Mains’ website by clicking here.
