Don't Lose Faith in the Quiet

Noise. It's all around us. Seems the only time we can escape is when we're asleep, and even then, most of us -- including myself -- don't get enough.

Noise is a distraction, including in our walk with God. We need to take time, picture ourselves on a beautiful golf course during a tournament and...

It's hard, I know -- but the results are always rewarding.

I raised the "Quiet Please" sign months ago during my job search. From my last blog post, I've been blessed with the opportunity to work for the University of California, San Francisco.

It didn't happen overnight.

After several weeks, months -- years -- searching and filling out numerous applications online, I landed a handful of interviews all at once in mid-October and early November, followed by more after the new year. They came from California, Baltimore and Boston. I was amped and sure things would move quickly. I knew that within weeks, if not days, we'd be on our way.

I was wrong.

The interviews were done, then the quiet came. No follow ups. No "yeses." No "nos." No second interviews. No cancellations or holds. Just quiet.

I didn't like it. And after a while, I got agitated -- at myself and God. Why would he line things up so quickly, then not have them come to pass? To me, even a rejection was at least better than silence.

But it wasn't the first time I'd needed to wait, and I'm not alone. As a follower of Joyce Meyer, a charismatic Christian author and speaker, I recalled she addressed "When God's Timing is Taking Too Long." In the past and now, I read and re-read that article to find peace and maintain faith.

I also have the support of my wonderful wife, who herself was finding it difficult to wait. That changed in an instant through an intimate moment with God.

Over the past few months, Erica has gotten up in the early morning hours to exercise and research for her developing screenwriting career. But one morning, God told her to put the script down she was reading so he could talk.

He said, "Don't lose faith in the quiet."

At that moment, Erica was at peace. And when I needed support -- something to lean on -- she reminded me of that simple statement.

It worked, and here we are today.

Believe me, this won't be the last time I'm challenged with patience. We all are. The key is, when it looks like nothing is happening in the natural, that's when God really is at work behind the scenes. Just stay in faith.

Til the next time....