As the story goes,

A man was stuck on his rooftop in a flood. He was praying to God for help.

Soon a stranger in a rowboat came by and the stranger shouted to the man on the roof, “Jump in, I can save you.”

The stranded man shouted back, “No, it’s OK, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me.”

So the rowboat went on.

Then a motorboat came by. “The fellow in the motorboat shouted, “Jump in, I can save you.”

The stranded man replied, “No thanks, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me. I have faith.”

So the motorboat went on.

Then a helicopter came by and the pilot shouted down, “Grab this rope and I will lift you to safety.”

To this the stranded man again replied, “No thanks, I’m praying to God and he is going to save me. I have faith.”

So the helicopter reluctantly flew away.

Soon the water rose above the rooftop and the man drowned and he went on to Heaven. When he finally got his chance to discuss this whole situation with God,  he exclaimed, “I had faith in you but you didn’t save me, you let me drown. I don’t understand why!”

To this God replied, “I sent you a rowboat, a motorboat and a helicopter, what more did you want?

How many times have you passed up the help you needed because it didn’t come in the package you wanted?

How long have you been waiting for a prayer to be answered while you screamed, “WHEN GOD, WHEN?” Is it possible that you’re prayer has already been answered multiple times, but you were so focused on how you wanted to see it answered, that you missed the answer?

Here’s what I’ve learned from my own life and through the lives of others that I have coached: when we feel like a prayer is taking forever to be answered, the guidance we needed for the answer had already shown up, sometimes multiple times.

If you are in a difficult place–a painful place–and you’ve been there for a long time, the chances are that you’ve been there because of none other but you.

The good news is you can change this. You can change this by changing your mind. Stop looking for the way you want to see the answer. Release the need to dictate the how and open your mind to receive the creative ways of God.

Don’t be hard headed and allow.

Deep breath in: close your eyes and get centered.

Exhale: “I release my need to see the answer my way.”

Inhale: “I accept the creative guidance of the divine.”

Deep breath out: “I AM receptive to divine guidance.”

Now, share your inspiration below.