Yeah, I like quotes...

"Let us be silent that we may hear the whisper of God."
-Emerson

I happen to think that when we are struggling and have asked "why" until we are blue in the face, there's only one thing that we have left to do- be silent. Why do we always get selfish at the first sign of difficulty. Things aren't going our way, so we decided to tell God the life just isn't fair. "God, I studied for 12 hours and all I got was a 38%." "I'm a good person, why did they have to put me down like that?" "I said I was sorry... isn't that what I'm supposed to say so that you can give me what I want?"

Let's all be honest here, we've said things like that before. Truth is though, we don't deserve anything! We can ask God why all we want, but that doesn't mean things are going to change. Life can stink sometimes and that's just how it is. I'm not saying that we should forget to ask those why questions altogether; those questions are healthy to ask. Don't just go through life without a spine, taking everything as it comes without some sort of questioning. Wrestle with life. Wrestle with God. Allow Him to change your name. Walk away from situations with a limp. It shows you are serious about following God and allowing Him to show you what you're really capable of if you just become honest with yourself about who you are and allow God to shape you into the person you want to be for Him.

When we don't get those answers we want though, it can be difficult. So many of us keep on talking to God and telling Him how much we hurt. It's okay to hurt and lament to God. He hears our cry- each and every one of them! How amazing is that? If I tried to listen to those cries, I would get a headache. There's one thing we miss though, and that's to sit in silence and allow God to respond back to us. We may not hear it audibly, visually, or even at that exact moment and in the response we want to hear, but God's listening. We have to be silent and in tune with his whispers so that we don't miss the big things He wants us to hear.

Just look around, beauty is beckoning you from every corner... That hug from a dear friend, the flower you took time to smell, your favorite song on the radio when you turn on the car, the warm cup of coffee that reminds you that Christmas is right around the corner. Life is beautiful even on the worst of days... just remember to look for that beauty, it's reminding you that God is still present in your life. Take a walk and just focus on things outside yourself and you will see what I mean. You forget about the cold, you forget about the injustices of the world, and you see the good. God is still here.

I've been in this waiting room before. I've had a hard time clinging to my faith and hope for what my life is going to be for God. My life, as short as it has been, has had very difficult moments, but I've seen God at work. In fact, these times when I'm waiting and struggling, I've been more aware of God's hand in my life. Funny how those moments of pain are the greatest moments where the joys in life are revealed. You learn to be content and grateful for what you still have. You notice the little things more.

Don't give up on God. Don't give Him and ultimatum. Even if He doesn't answer right away or in the way you want, when you're silent... God shows up, and in BIG ways.

He will show up... I just don't know when or how. My love for Him grows everyday, and I couldn't ask for a better joy than that, which I have found in Him.