As an aspiring writer, there is a lot of uncertainty in the task that comes with sharpening your ability to craft and cultivate the written language. Most will tell you that it holds no value in times today. I believe that the written word will never become obsolete; you just have to be a little more creative and willing to make it work. I’m up for the challenge, and I firmly believe that God may have given me the opportunities, people and provision to make it work. When going through high school, I prayed quite a bit on where and what would pertain for me. Through the exploration of my character and options, writing seemed like a definite ‘yes’. My first year and a half at college only strengthened this answer. Writing brought an acceptance of challenge and a certain joy that nothing else had ever before. It still does, in fact, and I have no plans of changing my focus.
Through the incredible testimony and teachings from my professors I have been able to see a clearer version of God’s character. To be able to understand your creator through your gifts and passions is a humbling experience, and it is one that has repeated through the past year and a half and has not grown stale. It is only natural that you would be able to see glimpses of the creator as you explore His gift of language.
I may continue to share these literate explorations at a later time, but are not be my main focus for today. There’s something incredibly fulfilling about receiving what you believe to be a focused drive to strive after. A single ‘yes’ to your many questions as you try to learn your place in the world is an incredible gift. What is not quite as fulfilling, however, is the amount of unanswered questions that remain from your prayer life. A year and a half now, and I think that a ‘yes’, specifically to the possibility of writing, is the only answer I have received when it came to my place in the world. Near the end of the semester, I became incredibly irritated with my prayer life. Was I asking the wrong questions? I considered a search for wisdom and knowledge important during my time as a student! I was asking, so… could I have an answer please?
Impatient. That’s what I was. I received an answer and a peace that most college students will not at that certain time in their student career. I was well aware of this, but I couldn’t find any peace through the amount of uncertainty and lack of answers. That is, until I joined a good friend at the table for a typical everyday lunch. I told him about the lack of answers I was getting, and I explained to him my frustration. He thought for a moment, but then told me what I believe to be one of the most ‘golden’ answers I have received in all of 2015.
“So as I understand it,” he said. He leaned back and raised his hands into the air as he always seemed to do. “You got writing as a ‘yes,’ and that’s great. And through your learning about writing, you’ve been learning a lot about God His character. Right?”
I nodded. This was all true.
“So that being said, I think God is telling you that everything else may not matter right now.”
My head perked up in surprise. I wanted to figure out so much, that I hadn’t thought of the possibility of actually waiting on the answers I wanted.
“Answers such as, who you should hang out with, invest in, where you will go after college, and what you can get as a financially sound job are important. They’re added bonuses to college. However, you have found an opportunity to learn more about God’s character in your every day studies. That seems to be what God wants you to focus on.”
And with that simple explanation, everything fell into place. There was the answer, right in front of my face. It was God telling me that I was not ready for everything I wanted to know. Who and what and where would come, but God was telling me that I needed to focus. Getting these answers for the future would distract from the opportunities in front of me now.
Consider the questions you’ve asked, and the answers you’ve gotten. Sometimes silence is the best and most appropriate answer God can give you, despite your grumblings. Consider it as an opportunity to realign your focus. Where do you need to be to have the most opportunity to give glory to God and be further prepared for what comes ahead?
I fully look forward to getting these answers, don’t get me wrong. I truly hope they will be answered (hey, soon would be great), but until they are, I will keep my eyes focused on learning about my creator, who has given me the perfect opportunity to do so. For all of us with many questions and requests to be answered for this coming year, I can’t help but feel a tinge of excitement. This year should be a good one, folks. Let’s realize what we need to focus on, and understand that God has a plan for all who are persistent in their asking.
1 John 5:14-15
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.
Silver Questions 