Indulging my children might have been fun, but it rarely left me feeling like I had accomplished any sort of great parenting. How much more satisfying were the times that I required my children to sacrifice, word hard, be patient, figure it out on their own (secretly overseen), cooperate, pay their own way, etc. We know that Heavenly Father is the perfect parent and should therefore expect that He would require a good amount of effort from His children. It makes sense! Our kids don’t like it in the moment but as time passes they are grateful for all that they have learned and experienced along the way. Are we any different with our Father in Heaven?

That being said… this is a part two of a compilation of answers to the following questions:

1. Have you ever had to “wait” to feel God’s love or for an answer to prayer?
2. What is something that you do to make an effort to be close to God?

Responses to question one:

1. Of course, the waiting on God is the time for growth. God can be felt all around us but we need to be doing our part.
2. Absolutely have to wait for answers! But to feel His love – I think that’s a feeling that is always available but I need to stop and notice it.
3.  I’ve had to “wait” to feel Gods love many times in my life.  But as I go through life’s experiences, the tough, the bumpy roads and the good times, these things has given me wisdom and opened my eyes to greater understanding. I realize God was not making me wait.  He had lessons that I need to learn, areas that my personality needs to be changed and refined for the better. Through this journey, I’ve learned to have greater faith by being patient in trials, if I say I have faith, do I really? When answers don’t come immediately, I’ve learned that I have to actually apply my faith at a deeper level.  But I have found that when life is hard, sometimes the hardest part of a challenging trial will be the knots in my stomach and the stresses I feel. But when I really apply faith, I’ve found that I can find peace and calm even through the trial.  It doesn’t mean the trial is gone, but having the stress and knots calmed, allows me to think more clearly and deal with the situation better.   In life I sometimes see kids that are spoiled with worldly things.  These kids are selfish, rude and aren’t contributing well to society.  If I was given answers to my prayers immediately, I think I would be like a spoiled child, not developing in positive attributes that make a difference in my family, my neighborhood and workplace. Some of the greatest people and leaders we know in our society today, have overcome amazing odds that has allowed them to become great, i.e. the Michael Jordan story, Abraham Lincoln story just to name a couple.  We admire people that do hard things and we wonder how they can do what they do. Not having my prayers answered immediately, has allowed and still allows for my personal growth and becoming the person I was meant to be in this world.
4. Yes, I have had to wait for answers to prayers and to feel His love. Many times. I’m in the process of waiting right now! Usually when I try and refocus on others instead of what I’m not receiving it makes my wait (and my heart) feel more capable of giving and receiving love. I think when I’m not feeling God’s love it’s because of me. From not recognizing blessings to feeling gratitude for the many ways God has blessed my life.
5. Yes and no. I always feel God’s love, especially when I need it or when I ask for it. I do, however, have to wait for answers to my prayers sometimes.
6. I have never really felt that I had an answer to my prayer right away. I just pray and then keep pushing through, living my life. I find that eventually things work out, but it takes time.
7. I don’t feel I’ve ever had to “wait” to feel God’s love. I have felt it as I’ve sometimes “waited” to recognize/understand His answer to some of my prayers.
8. Yes, I have waited for answers to prayers often. Sometimes they come quick and sometimes it’s years.
9. Yes, sometimes when I’m not making choices to be close to him, but sometimes even when I’m doing all the things to be close I still feel nothing.

I think I am going to have to do a part three because there are just so many good responses. I want them all to have time to be digested. Particularly the responses to question two:

1. Read scriptures. Stare at the stars.
2. Go for walks.
3. Be grateful for all that He has done for me…. Serve others – smile a lot, listen even more, show empathy…. Pray often – include Him in the decisions that I make.
4. Pray or help others.
5. I’m closer to God when I’m outdoors, pray more fervently, and serve others who are less fortunate or in need to lighten their burdens.
6. I asked Him why I was sent to parents who would divorce, why I had to grow up in a “broken” family…. I didn’t get an answer for 20 years. And it was only after I had drawn upon the strength and the lessons learned from being raised in a single parent home, that the Holy Spirit was able to answer my prayer. God can work all things for our good. My understanding of divorce and what it looks like, saved my marriage on multiple occasions because I knew that what we were facing was not harder to overcome than what we would have gone through if we divorced. I also walked through divorces with several friends who have been in abusive relationships and helped them navigate parenting alone. God not only worked my trials for my good, but because of them He was able to work through me to help others……….. What did I do while I waited? I stayed close to God and worked to improve how to hear and quickly respond to the Holy Spirit. Maybe I had to be in a space where His answer would/could fill my soul, and maybe it took 20 years to get to the space. In the waiting, there were many miracles, so much peace and comfort, and growth. I often wonder if we are really ever waiting on the Lord or if He is waiting on us?
7. Serve other people. When I am waiting for an answer I go and help others and it lifts my burden.
8. Pray.
9. I started a scripture study group of women to help motivate me to really study.
10. I actively make an effort to list to different music and take time to calm my mind.
11. Study scriptures and serve others.
12. I do the things I know He has asked of me. I put myself in places and situations where I have confidence that He will be. And I have to make myself be STILL to listen and feel His spirit.

After asking these questions to a friend, she sent me this:

I was struck by the contrast and similarities between these two pictures. I prefer to be the girl in the first photo but the second reflects a more realistic portrayal of day to day life. They are both wonderful. We are not alone.