Do We Recognize Answered Prayer?

I was reminded recently that prayers are very often answered in the most unexpected ways.

You may remember this post I shared recently. 

What I did not share in the post at that time is that my older sister and I have, for many years now, not had a very close relationship. I’ve tried over the years to bring about an improvement in our once very close relationship, with no real success. I’ve been praying about this situation recently, asking for the intercession of my beloved friend, sister and patron saint St. Mary the Blessed Virgin. 

So on that very day I described in my post, when I stood at my stove cooking and singing that childhood song I had not thought about since I was a very little girl, I was moved to reach out to my sister. I did not hesitate – I simply reached out and explained to her what had happened to me, because the song was a memory we shared, and because I thought she'd think it was as neat as I did. We spoke warmly and cried together during that conversation, and we experienced a very special and tender time that changed our relationship for the better immediately. I was thrilled, and I could tell that she was, too.

It occurred to me pretty quickly after we’d hung up from speaking that the little childhood song I’d recalled out of the blue had been a gift: my prayer for a renewed relationship with my sister had been answered in that tiniest of ways. I was moved beyond words as I whispered a heartfelt “thank you” heavenward. 

I've been wondering since that evening: are we perhaps not able to recognize answered prayer because we're not attuned to the small gifts and gentle promptings of the Holy Spirit?

With my best wishes to you and yours,

Sabrina