We want God to work within our comfortable box

I heard that phrase on a podcast, and I've spent the morning mulling it over.

I woke up this morning to a honest, vulnerable text from a friend who's going through a hard time. My first reaction? I wanted to jump in with a quick reply, a comfortable answer. But then I remembered the advice I often give to others, “Practice the pause.” And so I did. I did not send a reply. Instead, I came here to the beach to run, to walk, to hear, to see.

“We want God to work within our comfortable box.”

I thought on that phrase, and also on how we want Him to work quickly, within our time frame. In our microwave, easy-prep society, we want the answers now, and we often give answers without careful prayer and reflection.

But that's now how we come to know God and hear His voice, isn’t it? We hear Him in the pause, in the time of prayer, in the discipline of reflection.

But that often feels so uncomfortable. In a world of noise and constant information, I fear most of us are uncomfortable with listening and discerning.

Perhaps Henri Nouwen said it best:

"The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares."

I am thankful for friends who can tolerate not knowing, friends whose greatest investment in my life is through their prayers, friends who practice the pause, friends who don't try to cure me or offer unsolicited advice. These are friends who can sit quietly when God isn't working in a “comfortable box.”

I hope I am that kind of friend to others. I want to be able to be comfortable with the uncomfortable, to be able to rest in the pause, to know with no doubt that God is working in whatever space He deems best.

Did I reach out to my friend this morning? I did, and when I did reach out I had just one thing to truly offer - prayer.

And I believe that is enough.