God As IT Support

 I work in IT, and sometimes life as an independent contractor can be rough.

When you work for a company, there are resources. People to meet around the water cooler. This is a big deal, psychologically speaking, when you're up against the unknown--a problem you can describe, sure, but you have NO idea how to solve. Because you don't face it alone.

But when I face these challenges alone, I can get pretty anxious. I've been around the block a few times. You might solve a problem like this in a minute. Or a week later it could still have you dead in the water.

My go-to response in such times, sadly, is to bail on non-necessities. First to go is usually my morning quiet time.

But wait. Fasting by choice is a great practice, but we don't normally give up meals just because of a work hassle. Why should I treat my quiet times with God as any less vital? Jesus said he had food his disciples knew nothing of. When I keep the food and bail on communing with God, I'm proving that I've learned nothing from their gap in understanding.

But I do.

Yesterday morning began Day 3 of The Voodoo Bug, I'll call it. The hour of decision arose as I went about my morning routine in the kitchen. (Getting that essential breakfast and coffee, of course.)

Suddenly, from within me, out of nowhere, an attitude of defiance bubbled up. I still remember that my hand was on the door to the microwave when it happened. "God," I said, "I'm going to have my quiet time today."

"And you're going to solve this problem for me."

Now God doesn't owe me anything, and he ain't my lackey. But the words gushed out in a rash attitude of faith. Which made me suspect that this faith itself had been a gift from God.

After my words stopped echoing around the empty room, I reviewed in my mind what they meant to me. Timeline? None. Just confidence that God would see me through this just fine. It will work out. And well. Meaning, all IT problems eventually get solved... but I felt in my heart that the solution to this one would be a little unusual... a blessing.

I then proceeded to have a quiet time before starting in on work.

Not having a clue how to solve the problem quickly, I had chosen the slower route. A day or two of training. Watching educational videos. Taking notes. Somewhere in the mix, I believed I might find the secret sauce to solving the problem.

By yesterday evening I was only halfway through what we call "Yak Shaving" in IT (you can look it up), and the problem was nowhere near resolved. But the last item on the calendar was a scheduled call with my partner and a contractor we have doing some work for us.

He's bright and knowledgeable in the area where my problem lay. I knew that all along, and I had plans to rope him in eventually, if my slow self-education didn't pan out. So I only mentioned my problem to him in passing at the end of the call. He jumped on it like a dog on a bone. Didn't want to let go. That had not been my plan.

To my credit, I described the problem and my thoughts on what might be going wrong very well. That was as much as I could do. However that was all he needed. He figured out the solution, and had it figured out in about 15 minutes while we gnawed on the issue. He didn't need to go the slower route. By the time I got off the call, my IT problem had been solved.

Now the atheist in the crowd can always offer up another explanation for how the day transpired. What's so miraculous about a knowledgeable person helping you out? Fair enough! And, as per my last reflection, I must be careful in how I describe God's intentions and actions.

But all the same. It was a blessing to be able this morning (I just got off the call) to report to my client that I had a working solution. Not least because today was the scheduled date for me to have it done.

God is good. God is with us. God provides. This IT problem is licked. And my client is happy.

I am thankful.