How do you know the difference between God speaking to you and other mental influences at work on your thought? It’s a question I’m frequently asked, and haven’t always had a satisfactory answer.

I had an experience last week that helped me understand the difference.

After completing a successful lecture in Winter Haven, FL, I arrived at the Orlando airport to fly home via Minneapolis. My scheduled flight that evening was delayed 3 hours, which meant I would miss my connection to Pasco in Minneapolis at 9:40 p.m.

I found a Delta agent who gave me my options.

I could fly to Minneapolis, stay overnight and fly to Pasco the next day. I could fly to Salt Lake City, stay overnight and fly to Pasco the next day. Or I could stay overnight in Orlando and fly home the next day.

I didn’t like any of the choices!

As I conversed with the agent I prayed for a better solution.

The agent was extremely helpful, a blessing itself. She worked on her computer for 15 minutes or more, and finally said, “What would you like to do?”

As always, when not feeling comfortable about the options before me, I listen quietly, patiently and wait for God to tell me what to do. No message was coming clearly to me. So I was stalling her. And she understood. My options were not attractive.

The agent said she could book me on an earlier flight to Minneapolis (which had been delayed 2 hours) and that would get there at 9:38 p.m. But my Pasco flight departed Minneapolis at 9:40 p.m. There was no way I could make that connection. Airplane doors are closed 10 minutes before departure. Plus I would have to deplane and walk to a distant terminal first.

In my prayers, I knew God had the perfect solution. But I still wasn’t sure what to do.

I prayed for more clarity of thought.

Self-will was getting in the way, I could see. I wanted to be home. But just because I wanted something didn’t mean it was right. I needed to let go of selfish desire and trust God’s plan more, I knew. What was God’s will? I asked.

God’s will is for harmony, order, peace. From God’s point of view, I was already home. Home is not a physical location, but a state of Mind, a consciousness of Love. I had that already. So there was no use in praying to be home. I was already there. I dropped my human want.

But then I felt fear. I was afraid of missing out if I had to stay overnight. I had several activities planned the next day, and other people were counting on me being back in Richland.

Fear is doubt though. It questions God’s ability to make all things happen in their proper order and for the best possible outcome. I knew God had my life under control. God would not allow me to miss out on any good thing, and would not allow other people’s lives and activities to be messed up either.

I dropped the fear.

Human will was gone. Fear was gone.

My thought became very clear. No more fog. No more confusion. No more worry. Finally, I started to hear the voice of Wisdom.

That inner voice said, “Take the other flight to Minneapolis.”

Human logic reminded me that I would miss my connecting flight. There was no way in heaven and earth that I could make a connection in two minutes, physical evidence argued. But the voice persisted, “Take the other flight to Minneapolis.”

I told the agent to book me to Minneapolis. She shook her head a bit in disbelief, but handed me new tickets with a smile.

After heading to my gate, I felt concern about the choice, but I knew that with God there is no risk or chance. There are no delayed flights, late flights, missed connections, disappointed hopes, or poor choices. The one Mind knew what it was doing, and I reflected the intelligent action of the one Mind. I relaxed and trusted.

I boarded the flight. From all material indications, I was going to be staying overnight in Minneapolis. We even departed 10 minutes late, which only worsened the scenario. I was peaceful though. My choice had been made. God’s choice had been made! I felt.

Forty minutes into flight, with no explanation, the captain announced that we would be arriving 35 minutes early into Minneapolis. Fabulous! I was so happy. Thank you God, I whispered into the air. I had listened correctly. God’s voice had been heard.

And the lesson was learned: God is always speaking to us telling us what to do. Always! That is an absolute given you can always count on no matter what. It’s the mortal mind stuff that gets in the way that keeps us from hearing God’s instructions. In this case, it was human will and fear cluttering up my mind that left me unsure about what to do. Once I thoroughly got human wants out of the way and conquered fear, my thought became clear, peaceful, and receptive. I heard what God was telling me, and even though it defied all human logic, I obeyed. And it proved to be the wise choice.

I was happy to arrive home that evening at exactly the original time scheduled before any flight delays. God had it figured out all along.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”