Faith like a child

My guest blogger today has been in the process of learning something that each of us as children of God must learn somewhere along our journey. I hope the truthful expression of her heart blesses you today:

Life can be crazy, can’t it? We all use this expression, in good times and in bad. We may experience a crazy, wonderful joy like the birth of a child, or a job promotion, or maybe just something as simple as a cheerful hello and encouragement on a bad day…and we know how to respond. With happiness, excitement, maybe even laughter…just like a child who has been given the gift they really wanted for their birthday! Sometimes we forget to acknowledge where and who that gift came from because we have received it and have now run off, like a giddy child, to enjoy it. And God, being a good Father, is probably happy right along with us. But what about the crazy that’s bad…how do we express ourselves then? Most of us are guilty of trying to change or remove ourselves from something crazy, unpleasant, and painful. We usually don’t shout with joy and run off giddy with childlike happiness. And that really wouldn’t be an appropriate response since most crazy bad is very painful. BUT, do we run to him, as a child would to their parent, during a crazy bad situation?

I’ve been in a crazy bad situation for a few years now…don’t get me wrong, I’ve had plenty of crazy good given to me and for all of them I am thankful…but the crazy bad…it has caused me to become sad in Spirit. It is beyond my control. It caused me to want to take the “bull by the horns” so to speak, which always left me frustrated and sad because things didn’t turn out the way “I” wanted them. Hence, continually compounding my sadness and disappointment in those around me. Let me tell you this is not a good condition for any heart. So, what did you do about it, you ask? Well, let me tell you it was nothing I did but what our Faithful Father, who gives more than we could ever think or imagine did.

You see, my prayer life was, in my eyes, becoming hollow and repetitious, when it came to this crazy bad situation. So one day while praying, the same prayers I’ve been praying for years, I finally said, “God, I don’t even know what to pray anymore…I feel like I’m saying the same thing over and over and honestly, it looks like nothing is happening. So, I’m just going to allow Jesus, my intercessor, to pray for me.” Now, I’m going to tell you things actually got worse with this crazy bad situation…but somehow God was able to allow me a “childlike” trust when it did. It took a little time for me to get to this point, and actually, it’s really just been within the past few days, but I can now see how coming to Him as a child with a crazy bad situation and laying it at the feet of Jesus really is what He wants and wanted from me. He wants us to be like little children…and we all know the verses…Matthew 18:3- “ And He said: ‘I tell you the truth unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”….Mark 10:14-15- “When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, ‘ Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.”

So what does that look like? We must look at it through a child’s eyes…children are so trusting and so honest…brutally honest sometimes! I believe that’s what God wants from us.. and it took a crazy bad situation to remind me of this…and the opportunity to do it and to see what He can do because I was coming to Him like a child! And when we actually behave how He sees us, as His children, He can now do what a Father needs to do. Once we’ve done that, we skip off, maybe not quite so giddy and happy as when we receive a crazy good gift, but giddy and happy knowing our Father knows what is needed and will give it. Now I’m not saying it will go the way you want…my crazy bad went from bad to worse…but I am 100% certain, because I laid it at His feet, that this is now in His hands…and come what may, I’d much rather leave that burden to Him and trust Him like a child then try to make things turn out my way. It just won’t happen…but He knows my heart and loves me and the situation more than I could ever imagine! So I let go and allowed my heart some long-needed rest. It truly made real to me the verse Matthew 11:28-30- “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Let Him be the Father we NEED Him to be and let’s allow ourselves the rest that children experience when they put all trust in a good and loving parent!

For some reason, I’ve been singing the worship song “We Cry Holy” all morning! Listen to it and let your heart be flooded with joy as you lay your crowns at the feet of Jesus! Now go and be like the children you are in your Father’s eyes

Lina