"When God says no, say thank you. He was protecting you from less than his best."

Money, jobs, career, life in general. We all want it. We want a good, happy, and enjoyable life filled with the things that make us want to get out of bed in the morning, am I right? Yes, but it's not as easy as we'd like it to be. There are obstacles, hardships, and challenges that can mislead us off our path we have laid out. Since I've started college, I've been led down a road that is designed to make sure I graduate in four years. As much as I'd love for that to happen, things have stalled me from getting out of here in four years time. I began questioning why God was making me wait when I know how hard I've been working. Two jobs and going to school full-time, and still behind some of my friends that will get to graduate on time. I have found myself not only questioning that one part of my life, but multiple aspects of it. Why have some friendships gone away, ones that were meant to stay forever? Why do I still feel like I'm not good enough for him? Why can't I have an easier schedule?

It's hard to see the good in things when they aren't going how you had planed or pictured in your mind. What do you do when life starts going a different direction than you planned? How do you keep fighting for what you want? How do you find that motivation to keep chasing your dreams? Him. It can be a scary thing to let go and trust in God. In my experience, I've lost my way of faith because I felt like he wasn't hearing me, or even listening. Then I realized something very important. I can't pinpoint the exact day, but I do know something clicked and I noticed it wasn't that God wasn't listening or didn't care. He was simply saying no, or not right now. As someone who loves to plan and know whats going on with every second of my day this was hard to accept.

As hard as it is to adjust to, not every prayer can be answered. We may think that something is what we want, but it may not be what we need at that moment. Having patience is complicated for me, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. There are many times when you will have to take a step back, take a deep breath, and do your absolute best to let the pieces fall where they may. As Paulo Coelho said, "The two hardest tests on the spiritual road are the patience to wait for the right moment and the courage not to be disappointed with what we encounter."

If I can give any advice to anyone feeling like their losing their faith because God doesn't seem to be listening, don't rush things. The plan you have for your life may not be the exact thing God has planned for you. He wants the best for you and if you let Him it's pretty amazing what He is capable of. It can be scary, but sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith and trust He will catch you.