I pick my grandsons up for church every Sunday morning. For the longest time, I only took the three oldest ones (they are 9, 7 and 4), but the two-year-old would stand at the window and cry as we drove away. That just broke my heart, so we have started taking him too.
My daughter-in-law is a stay-home-mom, so he's not used to staying with anyone else. When I leave him at his class he cries and cries. I stand in the hall for a few minutes...out of sight...until he calms down and starts to play. It's a hard thing to do week after week, but I know that he will eventually get used to staying...and he really does enjoy the class. When I pick him up, he's just bubbling with excitement, telling me how fun it was.
I wondered if it would be better to leave him home for a while longer before pushing him into staying in a class. Then I would remember that little face with tears streaming down as I pulled out of the driveway. He's too young to understand why I take the older three, but not him. So we will persevere.
I started thinking about all this and it occurred to me that sometimes we act like spiritual babies. We can't see the big picture of what God has in store for us, so we cry when we feel left out. Then when He begins to move us out of our comfort zone, we cry because we are afraid, stressed...not knowing what the future holds.
Why is it so hard to trust? We know that God has said, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jer. 29:11 NIV) We know that He is in control. We know that He promises that "...in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28 NIV)
But many times, whenever something new or difficult comes along, there we stand...looking out upon a world that we just don't understand...too sad to stay where we are...but too afraid to step out in faith.
God knows where we are...and we don't have to stay stuck. My prayer today is that we will reach out to Him so that He can help us to move beyond the seen into the unseen. It's there in that place where we will find peace and joy.
5 comments:
great post {and reminder}! thank you so much for this!
suzanne
Those tears in church are so much more productive than the ones in the window. He is going to love you so much for taking him to church. Think of all the seeds that are being planted in all those sweet little ones hearts because of your faithfulness.
Excellent post!
Thank you all so much for your comments! I know that seeds are being planted in those little hearts...that's what helps to keep me going when my van is full of loud, rambunctious kids. : )
Deidra what a great message. You are so very right about stepping out in faith. It is very hard sometimes but I feel as if it gets easier as my Father shows me his faithfullness at my faithfullness.
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