Winds Peace
How do you know when your deity smiles upon you?
Staying in communication with the Lord is a wonderful experience. He is my all and I know when he is smiling down upon me it's like a soft wind filled with internal joy.
I'm one of many who was not promised a rose garden, but at times thorney thorns. This I know, I am a better person, and my heart is at peace and there is joy in my heart. My commitment to Jesus has changed my life
In addition, you may want to answer the following: What is your God like? What was your conversion like?
My conversion was progressive. I came to know Jesus when I was 8 years old. But never got good solid Biblical teaching until I was 35. So I made up my religion for many years. I tried to find a good church, but for whatever reason, God never led me in that path. When I finally heard Biblical teaching I was amazed. It was like living water. I was drawn to the well of life and I could not and can not get enough of the word of God. I am so blessed to be able to study the word every day and to find people who want to discuss theological things.
But it was about 5 years later that I understood I was not Biblically living my life according to the word. God was my copilot and I was in charge. But in 1986, God got my attention and showed me who was in charge. I learned my life mantra - I do the work and trust God for the results. Wow!!! Now that was a different way to live. Trusting God for the outcome and not being obsessed with events I did not control.
I have lived that way ever since.
I know that God smiles when I do things that are against my nature. When I make a decision that is obedient instead of selfish and out of fear. Even though I learned my lessons well back in 86, I still have times when I want to jump ahead of God. But when I stop and wait for Him and then see how magnificent His plan is, I am always awed. And I know God is pleased that I am still on the path He has set for me.
My God is an awesome God. He is described fully in the Bible. He is all powerful, all knowing and all present. He is sovereign over all things and knows everything because He is the first cause. And while God does not cause evil, He does allow bad things to happen, but turns them into good for those who love Him and are called to His purpose. Most of all He is Holy. He is pure and sinless. He makes no mistakes and is never surprised. He has chosen His people from the foundation of the world and is working things together to train us and prepared us for eternity. Because He is sinless, He had to pay the price of sin for His elect. And because He did that for us, He is deserving of out infinite love and gratitude. How could we doing anything else but serve Him with all our heart, soul and mind? He did for us what we could not do for ourselves. He reconciled us back to Him. Praise God. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He never changes.
Sounds like we know the same God.