I am not a parent but I am pretty sure I wouldn’t be a very good one. And that has nothing to do with the fact that I gave my nephews extra dessert or that they stayed up until 2 a.m. when they were at my house.

(At this point, you are probably agreeing with my first statement and have decided never to send your children to my house.)

Actually, the realization came when someone shared with me that they may be transitioning their child to a new school. Once the child heard this was a possibility, they ended up in tears.

“But I don’t think I’m ready…”, was this child’s earnest plea to their parent.

My heart just broke. Everything in me wanted to scream to the parent… “No!! Don’t do it…they would be so sad…maybe they really aren’t ready…”. As much as I wanted to say that, I knew it wasn’t right…at all.

The parent wisely stated if they were going to make the change that this would be the time to do it. And the parent is right.

I started thinking about our lives and how hard they can be sometimes. I have a close friend who has recently dealt with some very difficult situations while I stood by feeling helpless. I want God  (in fact, I have begged God) to take away her hurt, answer the prayers she’s been praying, and give her what she’s been dreaming of.

But God hasn’t done that…yet.

10303364_10152552634896694_1435230488949418301_nOne of my dad’s favorite questions to my sister & I is “What can I do to make your life easier?”

When you’ve been fortunate to be raised like that, you tend to view God like that too – He’s my “easy life maker”. I want God’s love as a Father to mean that my life will go the way I want but scripture doesn’t say that and deep down, we know what we may want at the time isn’t always what is best.

 

As much our earthly fathers love us, can you imagine…

A toddler never learns to walk because her father didn’t want her to fall, so he carried her everywhere.
Because a child is getting teased, the father says she doesn’t have to go to school anymore.
The teenager doesn’t have chores or responsibilities because it’s too hard.
The now “adult” child can live with the parents as long as they want and not have to pay for anything.

Sure, the father has technically made their child’s life easier but that doesn’t mean it is better. There is no good or glory for anyone in that, especially not the father.  We would actually doubt the father’s love instead of being impressed by it.

The child can claim all day that if their parents loved them, they wouldn’t let them “suffer” like that but the mind of the child can’t comprehend the love of a parent…yet.

We realize that a good father wouldn’t do any of those things.  In fact, now that we are adults, we understand why our parents did certain things they did.

So, how much more would our all-knowing Heavenly Father do?

My initial response regarding the school transition was based on fear.  Fear of the change. Fear of the adjustment. Fear of the unknown.

But when God does what He does, it is different. It isn’t based on fear.  It is based on purpose.  It is based on knowing the bigger picture.

And it is always based in love.

While we stand on the promise that God causes all things to work for good in our lives, we know those things don’t always feel good, especially when we are in the middle of it.

But we do know this…that God is good and His ways are perfect. We may not always understand but we can trust that our Heavenly Father knows exactly what He is doing…even when we feel like we aren’t ready.

Deuteronomy 32:4 – The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.

Matthew 7:11 – If you then, imperfect as you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

~Anu

 

by anitha

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