Years ago, we were in Florida walking around Disney Springs with our extended family. The kids were all excited to walk into the Disney Store. One of the kids in the group made a beeline for the Star Wars section and was elated to find Rey Skywalker’s staff that for so long he had been wanting. His face went from excitement to disappointment when his dad told him that he could not buy it for himself that night. For the next couple of hours, we all happily walked around while this boy had next to no fun because his heart was completely crushed. All he could see was that he had wanted something so badly and he didn’t get it.
Oh, if only he had just known what his dad had in store for him. Unbeknownst to him, I had watched his dad secretly buy this prized gift for him earlier that night and conceal it in his bags. If his son had known that he was going to open this very gift on Christmas morning, his whole mood would’ve changed. But all he was holding on to was the truth he thought he knew. His vision was clouded and limited. I just wanted to tell him, “Don’t worry! It’s in the bag!” But of course, I knew that would spoil the surprise his dad had in store for him. If this boy had paused for a minute to process the truth, he would have remembered who his dad was. His dad has always been very giving and has had a knack at listening to people and remembering their “wish list” when he shopped for gifts for them. But this young boy didn’t remember the character of his dad. He could only focus on the gift he thought he wasn’t getting.
I’ve thought of this evening several times since then. I couldn’t help but draw the parallel to how Christians often act. How often do we pray for something that we think is best for us and we want it immediately? We can’t understand why God didn’t answer our prayers in our own timing. How could a loving God make us wait and prolong our misery? We often wonder how long, if ever, it will take to receive what we’ve been asking for. This worrisome attitude can often be seen on our faces and be easily identified in our actions. We take on the “Eeyore—woe is me” attitude while we supposedly wait in “faith” for God’s timing. We waste away precious time and brain space as we think of how our own plans are not working out as we think they should be! Where is God? How could He do this to us? We are just like little kids, aren’t we? We just can’t wait. We just can’t truly trust that our Father has our happiness in mind. Oh, we say we trust Him. We even sing about it in church. But we don’t live it.
We forget Who God is. We forget our Father’s character and His “track record”. For some reason, we block out the times that He has always provided and come through for us. We try to take control of the here and now because that’s all we can see. Instead, why don’t we take Him at His word? He truly has our best in mind. He created this entire Universe and is still stumping scientists with just how intricately He has designed everything. Yet, we forget that this Detailed Designer is also our Personal Savior and is extremely capable of handling our lives!
Perhaps He’s waiting for us to change our attitudes and to truly rely on Him alone for our answers to prayer. “Hindsight is always 20/20” as they say. One day, we will look back on this time of waiting and see just how intricately involved our Savior was the entire time. We’ll think of how silly our worries and attitudes were, and we’ll remember that true to His character, God has always been faithful. We may not see the gifts He has in store for us, but we can certainly trust Him at His Word and claim His promises while we wait. Maybe you needed this reminder today as I did, to not worry and to cheer-up. God has never let you down. “It’s in the bag”!
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” ~ Matthew 7:7-11
~ Jen McGee
Just a Mom’s View 