It's Not Where You Look for Answers but Where You Find Them that Counts

It's not where you look for answers but where you find them that counts. This statement, if read to my students, would seem to contradict nearly everything I tell them about how to do research, what counts as credible, and why they can't use Wikipedia. Yet faith changes things. In this instance I am not talking about answers to questions but answers to prayers, so perhaps it would better to replace the word "answers" with "blessings." It's not where you look for blessings but where you find them that counts. That's better. I've found this to be true after weeks of praying and searching for help for my little sister. I did all of this work, asked all of these people for help, and yet it was someone to whom I'd only mentioned this problem in passing who presented me with a solution.

Let me start with another story to explain. I don't know who wrote this story or even who told it to me, but here is the story that first opened my eyes. There was once a man who lived in a deep valley. This man was a good Christian who went to church and prayed to God. Soon the man learned through weather reports that a vicious storm was coming, sure to flood the entire village. Everyone was advised to leave. As neighbors packed and panicked, the man said he was staying in his home because he was a good Christian and God would take care of him. Soon the storm came and the valley flooded, and the man went to the second story of his house. As he did so, rescue workers passed in a boat and urged him to come with them, but he said he was staying because he was a good Christian and God would take care of him. The valley continued to flood, forcing the man to the roof of his house. There, a helicopter passed and rescue workers called out, urging him to come with them. He gave the same response. Soon the valley flooded beyond the roof of his house and the man drowned. In Heaven, the man turned to God and expressed his disbelief stating, "I have served you well. Why would you let this happen to me?" God responded, "I warned you with reports. I tried to save you first with a boat and then with a helicopter. What more did you want?"

In many ways, I have been the man in the house. My little sister has experienced many problems recently that are not my place to put here, but I can describe my search for a solution. I felt my church was the best place to look, and so I began by calling a woman in charge of a ministry designed to help in similar situations. The woman's identity is not important. She has done so much for our church and helped in so many ways, but for whatever reason I did not hear back from her. I then turned to a pastor associated with our church. Again, his identity is not important, but he has played an important role in my path with this church. He heard my story and offered to help, but I did not hear back from him either. Finally I turned to a woman who I have often considered a friend, and I asked her for help. On this day I skipped the church service in order to reach this woman where I knew she would be. She offered to help, and I did not hear back from her either. Frustrated, I felt the best I could do in the moment was ask my Sunday School class to pray for my sister. In this way, God heard my prayers.

On this day, there was a notice in a church bulletin about a young girl who had problems like my sister's, who found help through a church-based program. One person in my Sunday School class, a woman I cannot thank enough, saw this notice and thought of my sister. She notified me that day, and with my classmate's help, my sister's story is beginning to change. Now when I pray for my sister, I also give thanks for this woman from my class, the bulletin from the church, and the mysterious ways in which God answers our prayers.

I asked a question, and I looked for answers. Instead of asking God for help and watching for His answer, I looked where I thought His answers would be, and as a result I almost missed the answer he provided. If it had not been for my Sunday School friend, there is a good chance I would have missed his answer altogether. I learned an important lesson through this experience, and I hope I remember to use this experience as I search for future answers (and blessings).