We live with a deep secret that sometimes we know, and then not.  That can be very helpful in understanding our faith.  One of the reasons why we struggle with faith is that God’s presence inside us and in our world is rarely dramatic, overwhelming, sensational, something impossible to ignore.  God doesn’t work like that.  Rather God’s presence, much to our frustration and loss of patience sometimes, is something that which lies quiet and seemingly helpless inside us.  It rarely makes a huge splash.

Why doesn’t God show himself to us more directly and more powerfully so as to make faith easier?  That’s a fair question for which, partly, there is no fully satisfying answer.  But the answer we do have lies in understanding the manner in which God manifests himself in our lives and in our world.  Unlike most everything else that’s trying to get our attention, God never tries to overwhelm us.  God, more than anyone else, respects our freedom.  For this reason, God lies everywhere, inside us and around us, almost unfelt, largely unnoticed, and easily ignored, a quiet, gentle nudge; but, if drawn upon, the ultimate stream of love and energy.