Shhh….. it’s a secret. Secrets are meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others. I admit that I have hidden Christmas gifts in a secret spot, only to discover them years later.

Deuteronomy 29:29 says the secret things belong to the Lord our God. Yes, God keeps secrets from us. But, unlike me, He doesn’t forget about them. And He may reveal them to us later – at a time that is best for us.

After teaching 26 years in my hometown, I received a job offer in a neighboring district. Why would I leave my school and teach at another? It made no sense. But, I could not get the offer off my mind. I prayed – and kept feeling that I should accept the job! I tried to ignore those thoughts and convince myself that it was another crazy idea of mine, which occasionally happens.

But, the return call came.  And… a YES or NO was needed.

I prayed more desperately, asking God for a VERY clear answer, because this was clearly a VERY big deal. The answer came like a bolt of lightning. Lightning didn’t strike, but something sure did ‘jar’ me. The words shot straight to my heart, “Why did you even pray, if you weren’t going to do what I told you to do?”

This prayer thing was not working out. I did not want the new job, so I had prayed accordingly, giving God the chance to confirm my NO that I intended to give as my answer.

Nope. Not working out at all.

So…off I went. It had been a 4 minute drive to work. It was now a 30 minute drive. Why? Apparently, God was keeping the secret from me. Both school systems were great – the one I had worked in for 26 years and the one where I would spend the next four years.

Love for a new town and school system was formed, students were taught, and friendships developed. But… the ‘why’ remained.

As time went by, I began mentoring a teacher I barely knew with a time-consuming and difficult  project. As we began each work session, I would pray aloud a simple prayer, asking for God’s guidance.

I will never forget one morning, months later, when she asked me to stop by her classroom. When I walked in, she smilingly met me with a photo of a rainbow she had just seen when she pulled into the school parking lot. That rainbow is now remembered as a ‘sign from above’ because she then told me that the previous evening she had asked Jesus to come into her heart.

She thanked me for those small daily interactions – my sacrifice of time to help her with the project, praying together, becoming friends, and letting my little light shine brightly enough that she knew she wanted to know Jesus as her Savior, too.

Yes, she had received rebirth and a rainbow of reassurance!

Ah-ha! The secret thing had been revealed!

Four years of traveling on the road, when I could have continued working four minutes from my home? For the purpose of leading this one very special friend to accept Christ?

Yes. It was worth every mile. And, that morning – that rainbow – was the time God chose to reveal this ‘secret thing’ that had only been understood by Him.

• I think I wasted way too much time trying to figure it all out.

•I think I should have just enjoyed the ride – and the view – along the way.

A side note: Sadly, by the time I found the secret things hidden in my attic for Christmas gifts,  my children were too old for them – and they were no longer ‘good’ gifts.

But… the secret things that belong to the Lord are revealed to us in His perfect timing!  And they are good things, because He is a good, good Father, and I know according to Romans 8:28 that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.

Shhh…it’s a secret. Quit worrying. Just relax.

Contact Ann at annfarabee@gmail.com