A couple months ago, we were playing in the garage. I had given little man some cards to practice colors with, and he took it very seriously. He played carefully, careful not to bend any. When it was time to start cleaning up, he began carefully placing his cards into the bag in a certain way. Little sis came over and, trying to help, started grabbing fistfuls of cards and shoving them at him. She bent some, she wasn’t successful at getting them into the bag, and she really frustrated her brother in the process.
It made me think of how God has carefully placed things into my life and orchestrated things a certain way. He sees the big picture. He knows the best way. He has my best interest in mind.
But here I am trying to give God ideas, grabbing my own plans and shoving them in His face. I want things my way, but I want Him to affirm me. I want Him to bless me as I bend His plans and unsuccessfully try to bring my own plans to fruition.
I just picture God shaking His head – not in anger or disgust – but in gentle frustration that I have still not fully yielded to His way.
Can you identify with this?
I think that the best lessons I learn are from and through the lives of children, because we are after all God’s children. He cares for His children with even deeper love than we care for our own.
So why do I keep feeling the need to come up with my own plan?
Because I’m scared.
God’s timing seems to be much different than my own. He has a way of bringing beauty out of chaos and goes about restoration through brokenness. I don’t like waiting, not knowing, not seeing the whole plan.
Because I don’t trust Him.
Do I trust God? Do I really think that He knows best and that He should be in total control? I want to say yes, but my actions say that I think I know best. And I’ve always been a control freak. I have to CHOOSE to trust God. I must CHOOSE to release the tiniest details of my life into His hands. I need to believe in my heart, not just my head that nothing is too big or too small for Him. He’s got this.
Because I haven’t taken time to be still and know HIM.
Most often, the times I find myself shoving brilliant (to me) plans toward God are the times when I have spent the least time with Him. After all, I was spending all my time coming up with my great plan. I must choose to shift my thinking – instead of spending my time coming up with a plan, I should be spending my time basking in His presence. When I take time to be still and to know His heart, He WILL reveal Himself. God is faithful, and when I take time to know Him I find that He is trustworthy. I find that I have nothing to fear.
So the next time I feel myself shoving crumpled plans into the face of God, I think I will remember these sweet children. And I will take time to be still and know Him.
Patti Starr says
Great illustration and reminder.
Anna says
I find the best illustrations are usually from the kiddos. 🙂