Trust. It seems its the one thing that's the hardest to come by. Once you gain it, its another thing, entirely, to retain it. It involves a number of issues. Compassion, understanding, patience and, above all, love.
As a child, it never occurred to me that my parents didn't love me. Because of that assurance, the thought of not eating or being clothed never crossed my mind. I got up everyday knowing that everything I needed would not only be provided but done so in such a way that I knew Mom and Dad took pride in what they were doing. They wanted the best for their kids. Does that mean that I always got what I wanted? Absolutely not! (That being said, I was a little spoiled!) What if I had gotten the Yamaha 80 I always wanted? What if I had gotten the endless supply of comic books I always wanted? I was so short sighted, at the time, to understand how much money went into acquiring these things not to mention how much money, time and effort went into maintaining these things. Does that mean that I stopped asking for them? Probably not. I was still learning valuable lessons.
Fast forward. Very similar situation but with a differentperspective . Now as an adult with children of my own, I'm given the task of being the provider rather than the provided for. My wife and I get up everyday and immediately start addressing needs for that day. Meals, clothes, baths, school, recreation, clean beds, etc., all vital parts of our children's existence that they take advantage of without a second thought. Chances are, if we are any sort of parents, our kids never have to ask for it. They just have an inherent trust that they will have what they need. What comes next makes your heart melt. "Thank you" or "that meal was great" or "these clothes fit perfectly". Gratitude has a way of making you feel appreciated or complete as a parent. Its the icing on the cake. Next level stuff. It just makes you want to improve your game that much more.
Again, differentperspective . I would LOVE to have a recording contract. What if its not in my best interest? Better yet. What if its not God's will for my life? Do I keep on asking until I get what I asked for? It kind of reminds me of Verruca from "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory " as she screams "I want a squirrel!" It sounds a bit hedonistic doesn't it? It makes me want to slap that spoiled little rich kid! How do you think God feels? I once heard Charles Stanley say "We start seeing action when our desires line up with God's will.". Ultimately, God's will for us is to be a reflection of His son Jesus Christ. Does He not know what we need exactly when we need it? Matthew 6:25-34 tells us to not worry about what we will eat or about our bodies or our clothes. (v26) "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"
When was the last time you sat at your computer and said "Thank you, God, for this modern convenience....". (now for a moment of silence....) Do you get the picture? We get up everyday and begin our tasks as if we're the ones doing all the work. Seems a bit legalistic doesn't it?! You're not the one who grew the cotton that was used to make the underwear you're wearing! You're not the one who created the seed from which the apple you're eating was grown! Yes, we do a certain amount of work (you can thank Adam for that one!) but we're also given the strength to do that work not to mention the lessons we learn from that work. Again, you have to look at the imagery. Our heavenly Father puts us into parental roles (even though we're His children) so that we can teach our children (who are also His children) so that they can grow to be mature adults (still His children) and teach their children.
To get to the point, God wants us to communicate with Him, make our requests known and, when we get our answer (even if we don't like the answer we get) be thankful. He wants us to develop trust. We lack trust because we don't have a close enough relationship with Him and, as a result, have a lack of understanding. How do we expect to teach what we do not know? He is our father. He loves us. He will provide what we need for today.
As a child, it never occurred to me that my parents didn't love me. Because of that assurance, the thought of not eating or being clothed never crossed my mind. I got up everyday knowing that everything I needed would not only be provided but done so in such a way that I knew Mom and Dad took pride in what they were doing. They wanted the best for their kids. Does that mean that I always got what I wanted? Absolutely not! (That being said, I was a little spoiled!) What if I had gotten the Yamaha 80 I always wanted? What if I had gotten the endless supply of comic books I always wanted? I was so short sighted, at the time, to understand how much money went into acquiring these things not to mention how much money, time and effort went into maintaining these things. Does that mean that I stopped asking for them? Probably not. I was still learning valuable lessons.
Fast forward. Very similar situation but with a different
Again, different
When was the last time you sat at your computer and said "Thank you, God, for this modern convenience....". (now for a moment of silence....) Do you get the picture? We get up everyday and begin our tasks as if we're the ones doing all the work. Seems a bit legalistic doesn't it?! You're not the one who grew the cotton that was used to make the underwear you're wearing! You're not the one who created the seed from which the apple you're eating was grown! Yes, we do a certain amount of work (you can thank Adam for that one!) but we're also given the strength to do that work not to mention the lessons we learn from that work. Again, you have to look at the imagery. Our heavenly Father puts us into parental roles (even though we're His children) so that we can teach our children (who are also His children) so that they can grow to be mature adults (still His children) and teach their children.
To get to the point, God wants us to communicate with Him, make our requests known and, when we get our answer (even if we don't like the answer we get) be thankful. He wants us to develop trust. We lack trust because we don't have a close enough relationship with Him and, as a result, have a lack of understanding. How do we expect to teach what we do not know? He is our father. He loves us. He will provide what we need for today.
Amen.
ReplyDeleteAnd the best part about being an adult is knowing, understanding, and appreciating this simple truth. :0)