Dear Kianna,
How do I know that God answers my prayers?
— Waiting
Dear Waiting,
I’ve been thinking about that exact thing as I prepare for the next big step in my life.
This month, by the grace of God, I will walk down the aisle to the man I will vow to love and honor for the rest of my life, as we become one through the sacrament of matrimony. As I prepare to enter this marriage covenant, I can’t help but think about prayer and the mystery of God’s plan for us.
When I was 18, my faith came alive when I made the decision to follow Christ with my whole heart and strive to live as his disciple.
As my faith blossomed, the following questions circled through my mind: What is God calling me to do with my life? What is my vocation? When is God going to reveal my path?
For five years, I prayed that God would lead me to my vocation, and I struggled during the wait. As I discerned, I began to feel upset with the Lord because I wasn’t receiving the answer I desired. God was inviting me to trust, but I wanted immediate results.
During the wait, my faith was purified and refined. I experienced a few deep trials in college and, at one point, felt that God had abandoned me in my suffering. In my prayer, I remember saying, “God, all I want to do is serve you, but I can barely keep my head above water. Where are you, Lord?” Although I couldn’t see beyond my suffering, God was transforming me in the process.
Through his grace, he slowly pulled me out of the water, and I felt the wounds of the resurrected Christ connect to mine. It was then that my question returned: “God, what are you calling me to do with my life?” Renewed and transformed through the cross, I was eager to discover what God had in store for me.
In 2021, God opened my heart to the vocation of marriage when he placed a man in my life who changed my whole understanding of love and commitment. Peace and joy flooded my heart, and as our relationship developed, my love for the Lord deepened. After a long period of discernment, I discovered the answer to my prayer: I was being called to love and serve the Lord through the gift of marriage.
In the seven years since my prayer as an 18-year-old, through many joys and trials, the Lord has prepared me to receive his answer, and I will soon meet the love of my life at the altar. God’s plan is a journey that is revealed in stages, allowing us to embrace the highs and lows of life and trust that there is a masterful hand that is carefully leading, even when we cannot see.
Whatever your prayer is, I invite you to trust that there is an answer that will be revealed and know that God is doing something profound in you during this time of waiting. From the words of St. Paul in Romans 8:28, “We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.”
May God bless you!