“Just keep doing what He has called you to do…I’m excited to see how your adventure is going to end.” Tracy McCarthy
I talked last time how God never changes…whether it’s in the form of helping us learn an important truth, giving us a chance to grow, or preparing us for the purpose He has planned for our lives.
When our kids are young, we have to assist them step by step in learning life’s lessons – encouraging, correcting, and patiently giving them time to practice over and over and over until they gain the skills and confidence to try it on their own.
I believe God treats us a little bit like that. When we are first learning our “faith” muscle, He offers more support, encouragement, patience, and opportunities to practice with Him right there beside us. But just as with children, there comes a time when we need to advance to the next level of maturity and show God the faith we have developed in Him without His constant supervision.
Looking back over our challenges, specifically in the summer of 2013, my faith muscle was quite weak. God didn’t ridicule or get impatient with me. No, He provided the support I needed at that particular time in the form of a promise through a verse as well as many other ways to show me He wasn’t going to leave us but He was indeed taking care of us.
However, it’s been 18 months since the first phase of our adventure. A lot of faith muscle building has been able to take place and I have a deeper connection with God now than I did back then. Therefore, He doesn’t have to speak to me as often, repeating the same direction for my life multiple times. I have shown Him I want nothing more than to obey Him and the God I serve doesn’t appear to talk for the sake of talking. He speaks when He needs to…and expects us to trust Him when He doesn’t.
My pastor’s wife, Tracy McCarthy, reminded me that God wasn’t being silent. He had spoken, He had told me what He wanted me to do, and I hadn’t finished the assignment yet. When He wanted it changed or when He was done, then He would speak again. In the meantime, He trusted me with His silence to continue walking in obedience at the assignment He gave me during the summer of 2013 as well as in January 2014.
That’s where I’m at now. I continue to walk in the direction God has led me. I continue to wait for Him to open or close doors of His choosing. And I’ve learned to begin to enjoy His silence a little as well…although I do have my ears wide open so when He chooses to speak, I won’t miss it.
© Cheri Swalwell 2015