Thoughts About Signs and Gifts From Heaven

I have received signs and miracles in my lifetime, be these gifts prayed for or freely given. Signs, or Heavenly Gifts (if you will) helps our continued growth on the path of interior life! With free will, we should always offer thanksgiving to God for these precious gifts and endeavor to seek out that inner place inside of us, where only God dwells. In so doing, we find gifts unknown to this world. (Scripture Luke 17:21) "Behold for the Kingdom of God is not over there or over here, for the Kingdom of God is within you." (Scripture Matthew 6:19) "Do not build up your treasures where the thief steals (this world) and the moth consumes (this world) but build up your treasures where the thief does not steal nor a moth consume, (The Kingdom of Heaven in Interior Life).

Often time many ask for signs or gifts, but do not always receive answers to their prayers. I call this, "Sometimes God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers." There are far to many reasons to comprehend why one may not receive a healing or other gifts and other signs asked for. Sometimes the only gifts we need learn is, acceptance and or trust in God.

In the Old Testament we read the story of Job and we find that Job suffered beyond what most could endure. Even so, Job never cried out to God. Job's wife thinking Job should abandoned God told Job that he should curse God and die, to be free of his sufferings. Job refused to curse God and continued to accept all things as the will of God. Job practiced acceptance and trust, knowing that somtimes, "God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayer." When time and place were in order with the goodness of God, Job was well rewarded for his patience, acceptance and trust. This is a way of life we should all live by example.

We would do well to count our blessings each day and not count our sufferings, because the greatest sufferings come to those do not believe in God. For those who chose not to believe, there is no hope and without hope there is is no acceptance, trust or patience to graps on to the hope that never disappoints. Yet, for those who believe, we have all things good accoding to the will God, even if it seems God's gifts are unanswered prayers. In this, I am remined of Saint Bernadette of Lourdes. Many have been healed from the waters in Lourdes, yet Our Lady told Bernadette in an apparition that there would be no happiness for Bernadette in this lifetime but only in the next. Bernadette suffered physical pain byound what most could ever endure. Bernadette's doctor was amazed when the sisters in the convent told him that Bernadette never once cried out in suffering. When the sisters recommened Bernadette return to Lourdes to take healing from the miraculious waters there, Bernadette replied, "The waters are not for me." Like Job, Bernadette accepted in faith, trust, and hope in the will of God, come what may.

To continue on the holy path we should always remember to thank God for all the gifts He has given us. Our Lady of Medjugorje message on September 25, 1989, confirms this process.

"Dear children! Today I invite you to give thanks to God for all the gifts you have discovered in the course of your life and even for the least gift that you have perceived. I give thanks with you and want all of you to experience the joy of these gifts. And I want God to be everything for each one of you. And then, little children, you can grow continuously on the way of holiness. Thank you for responding to my call."

Blessings to you all,
Michael, founder of Medjugorje