the hawk
This is a hawk. It attacked the chickens of a good friend and even ate some of them. My friend has been struggling with depression and was on the verge of burnout. He was full of anger because of the hawk and had to give up raising chickens in his garden.
God Sometimes Sends Unusual Messengers
Today, I told my friend that GOD sent the hawk. He was surprised because he hated the hawk. Then he said I was right. The chickens had, among other things, driven him into depression, as he always felt he had to do something productive in his free time.
Today, the Hawk Waited
âI would have loved to kill the hawk,â my friend said to me today. Then he said, âThis afternoon, the hawk was waiting for me in the garden. I thanked it and was able to take a picture of it.â Nothing is made up or exaggerated in what I am writing here.
God Hears Our Prayers Differently
This true story of my friend moves me. Through various events in my life, I had to learn that GOD does not respond to our prayers in the way I imagine. I always tried to shape GOD within my mind, thinking that GOD answers prayers in a specific way. When GOD didnât respond as I wanted, I would doubt my life or my way of praying. I often blamed myself.
Donât Paint Pictures of GOD in Your Mind
We are told not to make an image of GOD, as the 10 Commandments state. Yet, I kept painting images of GOD in my mind, or they were already painted in my subconscious by religious conditioning and dogma. But GOD cannot be captured by my images and ideas. GOD is almighty, and I, as a human, am not.
Why GOD Didnât Answer My Prayers
This statement isnât accurate. GOD did hear all prayers but didnât respond in the way I imagined. I thought I was praying correctly, but in truth, I was fulfilling religious compulsions. Sometimes my prayers were as if I lit a candle to Buddhaâpraying correctly, thinking GOD would give me what I wanted based on my efforts. But thatâs not how it works.
GOD is Almighty and Merciful
GOD knows what I need and what is not good for me. GOD has created me for an independent life and decision-making. My life is a result of my choices and mistakes. Reflecting on this, Iâve experienced GOD as powerful and merciful, though not according to my religious expectations. GOD is almighty and merciful in ways GOD deems right. In 52 years, GOD has never abandoned me, even when I thought everything in my life was over. Sometimes, I lost everything that seemed to define my life. Then, I discovered that life was valuable in another way. Since I committed to a relationship with GOD, things havenât gone according to my plans. In my desperation and shattered plans, a different plan emergedâŠ
The Chickens Are Dead
Yes, some chickens died and were eaten by the hawk. Yes, some things in my life were devoured by circumstances. I have suffered painful lossesâfamily, home, all my money, and much more. To this day, I donât understand why it all had to happen this way. Couldnât there have been other ways to bring me to where I am today? The answer is no. Today, I try to accept things as they are. And I experience an unknown yet deeply loving GOD in the here and now of my life. I am allowed to hope, even when I donât feel GOD or canât make sense of things. I must not paint pictures in my mind.