The summer before my junior year of college was one of the most exciting and terrifying seasons of my life. I was in a dating relationship with a guy, for the first time ever. And while I didn’t know much about dating, I could tell that our relationship was gaining intensity at a rapid pace. It was exciting for all the reasons one might think; texts and phone calls throughout the day, being taken out to dinner, holding hands for the first time. But as I have already mentioned, it was also terrifying. You see, I was an Evangelical Protestant, and this guy was a Catholic. And good Evangelical girls don’t date Catholic guys.
Throughout my high school and college years I had prayed about my desire to date and some day be married. Lord, if it be Your will, and when the time is right, lead me to the man you’ve created to be my spouse. And then, for some bizarro reason, the first and only guy to ever ask me out was a Catholic. And despite all of my (poorly founded) objections to Catholicism, purgatory, praying to Mary, swinging around those incense things, this guy seemed to have a real faith in Jesus and I really liked him.
I remember sitting in my car one day after getting off work from my summer job, with my Bible propped up on the steering wheel imploring God to guide me in His will.
Wouldn’t it be great if God would give us really clear-cut answers to our prayers, like a vision, or a dream, or a message from a prophet? For some believers, those forms of communication with God may be a reality. For most of us though, God answers our prayers more subtly, and in ways we don’t expect. But He is most definitely still answering prayers, so pay attention!
Ask and it will be given to you;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
I asked God to close the door on this relationship if it wasn’t His will for me. And He didn’t. Little by little He revealed His will for me by giving me peace about this relationship, by giving my family peace as we became more serious, and by giving me peace and joy as I began to explore the Catholic faith.
Seven years ago I ended up marrying that Catholic guy, and coming into full communion with the Catholic Church. I have never once doubted that this was God’s will for me, and I am daily grateful that He answered my prayer in this way.
God answers our prayers more subtly, and in ways we don’t expect.Click to tweet
What are you praying for? Does it feel like God isn’t listening? Ask the Holy Spirit for the eyes of faith to see how God is working in your life.
Anna Coyne is a Saint Paul native, wife, mother, and convert to the Catholic faith. When not chasing after her two young children you can probably find her teaching piano lessons, knitting, tripping over wooden train sets, or writing. Find out more about her here.
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