How does God speak to you? Is it through a quiet voice or a sudden knowing in your chest?

For me, God speaks to me in a pretty unique way.

Sometimes, when I’m praying, I’ll get extremely vivid imaginations. Pictures of me and God doing something together, usually chatting, sitting on a swing or a picnic blanket. Sometimes, I’ll ask to see these things, but sometimes they just pop into my head randomly when I’m praying.

Sometimes, they’re comforting, but other times, they’re convicting. That’s how I know it’s Jesus.

Praying about Love

What? I’m a twenty-five-year-old single Christian girl, of course I’m praying about my love life. Let me set the scene.

I was in my room, laying under the covers of my bed, curled on my side. I was praying something like, “Lord, if it is your will for me to maybe one day find a person who could possibly love me that I could also love and that both of us could probably encourage each other to grow closer to you, that would be super! Please just tell me what I need to do to get that done.”

I’ve had two relationships so far in my life. Both of them in the past year. Both of them have ended, in my opinion, in success—through the relationship both parties decided that we did not work in a long-term relationship. So I ended them. That’s what dating is all about, right? Figuring out if this person would work in a marriage.

Don’t get me wrong, I was pretty upset both times the answer was “no, this wouldn’t work”. At some point in the relationships, I shifted from praying with God about them, to trying to figure out what I needed to say to get what I want.

Have you ever done that?

Have you ever prayed a prayer to God, trying to make sure your heart is in the right position and your words are the right words so that you’ll find favor in his eyes and get that physical healing? Or get salvation for that friend or family member you are worried about? Or that financial provision or etc. etc. etc.

They are good things that you’re praying for, but as you go into the prayer, you hear a tiny whisper. Maybe God doesn’t want to give you this thing, or maybe he’s waiting for you to say the magic words, or have the perfect heart, or blah blah blah.

God’s Grace

So, there I am, laying in bed and trying to figure out the right words and the right heart, when I get a vivid picture from God.

We’re sitting in a coffee shop at a circular table. In front of us, on the table is a game of dominos, except on the dominos are a bunch of strange symbols I don’t recognize. I realize that I have no idea what sort of game we’re playing. I have some dominos in my hand, and Jesus is sitting across from me, with his own dominos. It’s my turn to place one down, and I don’t know what to do.

“Are you tired of playing against me?” Jesus asked. “Can’t we play this game together? I promise you, we can build a beautiful picture with these dominos if we’re on the same side, but you have to trust me.”

Trust is hard, especially for me. But if there’s anyone I can trust, I know it’s God.

Crazy enough, and as wild as it seems, God truly does love us. He doesn’t want evil for you and he gives good gifts to his children. It’s not about going to God and saying the right things or having the right heart. It’s about going to God and being honest with him. Being vulnerable. He knows what you want already, he’s just waiting for you to ask him.

So, I changed my prayer.

“God, guide me. Teach me to do this with you.”

I find the simpler prayers are usually the more honest prayers. God and I are doing this thing together, now. And when I shift to the other side of the board and try to take the dominos for myself, he’ll remind me and I’ll hand them back again, and again, and again.

So, are you playing against God?

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