Friday at lunch I ran into a packed coffee shop, and ended up sitting almost on top of the table next to me at the only open seat I could find. I might as well have been sitting with the two people next to me, as I sat checking email.

One was an older gentleman, a pastor I think. The other, a younger woman. It sounded like a career counseling session, with the pastor giving coaching and advice. Interspersed in all of this was some Christianese, some platitudes and statements of Jesus, but all of it lacked power. The pastor was telling her “how it was” – the old boy network, whether or not you were from our town, his own disappointments trying to get on the inside, trying to advance.  The woman echoed back how she had been shut down and shut out, how connections hadn’t paid off and how frustrated she was.

I wanted to ask them, “where is your God, where is your hope, where is your joy in the journey?”

And then it hit me – You’ve led me to sit here to help me see that I’m just like this.  I can talk a good game about following You and about being your disciple, but it’s much easier for me to make excuses for fear, hiding and unbelief.

He is here, in the midst of our real life right now, and He has all the answers.  Maybe I just need to believe that?  What about you?