I have a question about signs from God. A lot of my friend say they have received signs, like very real ones, not just spiritual or emotional. One example is my friend who always gets roses 'sent' to her when she prays to St. Therese. I was wondering how these work, because a lot of times I feel lost and would like a sign to help guide me, but I don't want to demand them from God. Does He simply give them to those who really need the, or is it like a specific form of prayer? Thanks! :)
Sorry to take forever to respond!!! Well, there are lots of kinds of signs... Signs show God's glory and God's love and God's presence in your life. So there is the type of sign that you can ask for (as is common with, for example, novenas like those to St. Therese) but the most important type of sign is the one that you can see from where you're sitting right now. That you exist. That your heart is made for love. That the sun rose this morning to warm you and that there is food to nourish you and air to surround and envelop you. That there are people in your life that you cherish. That you know you need to be guided and you trust it can happen.Are those "facts," or are they signs?Seen with eyes of faith, all of those are signs that are ought to be even more impressive and awe-inspiring than the signs that we ask to be sent. Little by little, Our Lord tends to wean us off the jaw-dropping "special effects" we long for into a deeper relationship with him, in which no signs are necessary anymore, because we have truly discovered his glory and his love and his presence in what he says to our heart (eyes of faith), not what he says to our eyes (human eyes).If Our Lord and St. Therese are sending your friend roses, glory be to God. But there will come a time in her life (as perhaps it already has for you) when there is something else she needs. You can ask for signs, which is fine, but asking for deeper faith, hope and charity is a far greater thing.God bless you! - Father Shane