One day, not too long ago, hubby and I were discussing how we deal with the children with their incessant ability to question our counsel. (Don't laugh yet.) I mean, we made a huge production out of each child's talent of challenging our wisdom. We imitated their voices, body language, the whole nine yards. I cannot tell you today which one it was in particular on that day, but at the time it didn't even matter. I was tired. But after we had a few good laughs I had that feeling that Daddy was hovering over my shoulder with the stare that reads, "I'm glad you got a kick out of that. Wonder where they get it from?" (Rhetorical question, Farley.) My head dropped immediately. My husband noticed after a few more jokes that I had begun to sober up from the cackling and asked me what was on my mind. I could only answer one way. "They get it honestly." In our joking I had managed to lump the kids responses down to a one liner... "Why I gotta do all that?" That was it, bottom line. You can spend hours talking until your voice cracks and your throat is dry. You think you're making head way when they say, "Well that's why I came to you. I don't know what to do about this." You try not to suck your teeth or let them hear your eyes roll. You then say to them, "In these three hours you have not listened at all. I told you what to do." And the next thing you hear is... Yep, you guessed it! "Why I gotta do all that just to get this?" Now the blog begins. Like many others, I came from a dysfunctional background. It looks nice today, but if you look at us closely you will notice some of the sealed cracks in our walls. It took me years to understand that my dysfunction was a problem with my spiritual walk. How is that? I go to church to feel better about myself. Not only that, I serve, I contribute, and I'm committed. So I thought. Long story short, I got the picture when I was really ready to commit. When you get to a place where you are just tired of messing up and starting over, you go to God with a different type of earnestness. One that you don't even recognize. You finally go to Daddy and say, "What do I have to do to get this right? What do I have to do for You to see me like You see others? What do I have to do to get my heart's prayers answered?" Well... when He answered me I was immediately UN-earnest. "That's not what I'm talking about. What does that have to do with my prayer right now? I wasn't even trying to talk about that." (Deny! Deny! Deny!) He kept right on talking, showing me the things I didn't come to talk about. I had my reasons ready on hand. When I ran out of them, all I had left was... Drum roll please!!! "Why I gotta do all that just for You to answer me?!" We punish our children for the same behavior we throw at our Father. Just think, He provides more and proves his sovereignty way better than we can to our own children who look to us as gods when they're young. Isn't that how we look at ours? We ask the same question too. So why can't you just snap your fingers and do this for me? You know why. It requires more trust, more responsibility, more faith, more studying, more commitment, more practice, more sacrifice, more time, more endurance, more growth, and most of all less of YOU. Did I miss anything? The same way we know we cannot just jump in and handle some of the messes our children get themselves into, God also knows the same with us. He knows if He gives you what you want again you will leave Him. He knows if He gets you out again you will be back in there in ten minutes or less. Most importantly... He knows when you mean what you say. He also knows that when you are really ready for the things that you are asking for, you will do whatever He tells you to do in order to get it... WITHOUT QUESTION. We usually don't get to that point until we hit rock bottom and our ideas and excuses run out. Why do I have to repent? Why do I have to forgive? Why do I have to put in more time? Why do I have to act right when they're not? Why I got to do all that? SO YOUR HEART WILL NOT HARDEN! 1 Peter 5:5 - Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all [of you] be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. (KJV) Is God not our elder? Like Job, where were we when He created the universe? Way far back in the "waiting my turn to go to earth" line. When He speaks we need to submit. When you have a problem with submitting, you are not responding with humility. He will resist us. Just as you resist your children when they refuse to humble themselves to your wisdom and guidance. I'm so grateful that He does not always respond to me in the same way I respond to my children. (Notice I said does not always.) But when He does, I go back and look for the things that I did not want to do in the process that He gave me hours, days, weeks, months ago. Yes, it takes all that because He gave all that. Jesus gave His life freely, but let's not act like His sacrifice was so simple and easy. We know the crucifixion story. It took ALL OF THAT! So are we better than Jesus? Is He not worth your ALL after He has already given His so you can enjoy your life? The next time you're about to have an WIGDAT moment, answer the question yourself. Why I gotta do all that? Because He did all that already. Our all can't even compare. Trust me. Just do it. Warmest regards, Bird B&F Ministry
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AuthorJust a little birdy and fish about the Father's business. Helping to better the world one blog at a time. Categories
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May 2020
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