What is the Secret Formula for Seeing the Miracles of God?

I’ve wrestled at times with trying to determine how to consistently see the miracles of God.

I’ve prayed for people and really no fooling seen God work a miracle.

So I’ve thought, “Ok, now I’ve got the formula figured out. Follow these steps and shazam!”

Yet, frustratingly I’ve followed those steps letter perfect and no shazam.

Photo Credit: Tim Ellis

When I’ve asked Christian friends usually I get a variation on a couple of standard answers.

“Well, you just need to have more faith.” Or, “You just need to be filled with the Holy Spirit more.”

So I try really hard to have more faith. But it just never seems to work.

Or the other very pious answer, “You have leave it up to God and pray, ‘Not my will but yours be done.’”

The only thing is before I knew better I mistakenly prayed for God to work some miracles and he did.

So where does that leave me?

See I’m a checklist guy. I like simple step by step formulas that work every time.

But God frustratingly seems to not follow my checklist.

Jesus touched on this dilemma.

He said, “Since the time John the Baptist came until now, the kingdom of heaven has been going forward in strength, and people have been trying to take it by force.”*

Ok, that’s a little opaque. No checklist here. But let’s think about this.

He says those trying to take the power of the kingdom by their own power will miss it. In other words no need for faith just develop a formula. But it doesn’t work like that does it?

On the other hand he says the kingdom of God in all its power is real and here. So we can expect to see it. And when we reject seeing it we don’t.

So somewhere in just relaxing in God’s promises and trusting him to use his power seems to come closest.

And I’ll tell you what I’ve found when I’m able to do that, which frankly is pretty intermittent for a type “A” personality.

I’ve seen him work miracles. To be honest often it’s “coincidences” that line up in perfect order so the answer comes. But I still consider that just as much a miracle.

I’ve also annoyingly watched him take his time when I would really like the answer right now, thank you very much. Yet, looking back I’ve often seen how his timing was perfect and mine wasn’t.

I’ve also watched myself grow more comfortable with waiting and ambiguity. I don’t have all the answers. In fact, the longer I live I the more questions I seem to have. But I’m learning to be ok with that at least sometimes.

And I still see him work an occasional all out miracle. Oh, not often. But often enough to prove to my questioning mind that he’s there and he can still amaze me when he wants.

We can see the miracles of God but they don’t happen because we’ve found the secret formula.

What has been your experience?

Let me know on Facebook, Twitter or email me.

*Matthew 11: 12 (NCV)