I may be showing my age when I remember that the boss of the A-Team, Colonel John “Hannibal” Smith (played by George Peppard) always said, “I love it when a plan comes together."This would be following whatever mayhem and badly aimed machine-gun fire had preceded this statement in the episode.
Does God rejoice in this way when God sees things 'come together' for His beloved daughters and sons? I'm guessing in the Spirit things are more complex and nuanced than some B-grade, slapstick action series, but you get the idea.
Today let us consider a few more of the Cs of guidance. We live in a real world with a living God, who leads and guides us through various circumstances. 'Circumstances often help us to know the framework in which we have to operate.' Circumstances often converge and lead us in a certain direction. 'Convergence is when these other factors, and the advice of wise friends, come together. Finally, there is the inner click that a course of action is right.' (Ray Simpson, Waymarks for the Journey, p.468)
Let's not kid ourselves that we feel God's guiding hand every moment of every day. I have had whole months feeling adrift in the silence. Sometimes the path is clear, other times not. Christian prayer and discernment are life habits honed over decades. There is no quick fix. Few of us are mystics with swathes of time for this. We snatch prayer moments where we can.
I feel privileged that my vocation is to even speak about this on a regular basis. Yet my background is that of typical spiritual struggler. Hope that makes it more real and accessible. We journey together. I too really love it when a plan comes together (in God)! When that happens let's share and celebrate. May the road rise up to meet you. Martin