Some weeks ago a BBC Radio station’s coverage was accidentally interrupted for 3 minutes by another BBC channel’s output. Someone flipped the wrong switch. 32 people complained about the mistake. A further 26 wrote to thank the BBC, saying that they had enjoyed the interruption. So was the switch-flipper to be chastised or congratulated?

I recently met up with a friend who was praying about one of the same issues as me. She is a sweet person and shared what she was asking God for. It turned out to be the exact OPPOSITE of what I was asking Father to do in the situation. I have yet to see how this will pan out. But it made me consider a few things…

How do we discern the will of God? How do we know we are praying the right things, from the correct angle at the most opportune time? It’s a tough one. I nannied two delightful children one summer holiday when their parents were working. I take great interest in their progress as people and often find myself feeling strange pride in their accomplishments. I saw their mum recently.
She explained the dilemma she faces. “We brought them up to be idealists,” she said, “people who honestly believe they can change and impact the world. The trouble is, now they are old enough to actually do that, (and believe they can) what we really want them to do is just get a nice safe job somewhere!”

Both of those young people have the capacity to do amazing things for God and for others. I’m praying they don’t just ‘find work’ but that they find ‘God’s dangerous work’ for their lives. So I am praying differently! I am not sure who God will listen to!

How often do we feel as though we walk around with unanswered prayers or unfulfilled dreams and goals? Is it simply that we are asking Father the wrong questions or focussing on the wrong end of the story? Knowing exactly what to pray is often a subtle nuance of greys, rather than a black or a white.

“Discernment is not simply a matter of telling the difference between what is right and wrong; rather it is the difference between right and almost right.” – Charles Spurgeon