Not Knowing is Hard
I make a lot of mistakes as a mom but one of the most common ones I make is prematurely revealing to my 3 or 4 year old that we’re going to go do something fun “in a few days.”
“Right now?!?” They always ask.
Everytime.
“No not right now…. Next week...a few days, or…after we’re done with school this week.”
Every time I do this they’re confused why we’re not getting in the car and leaving to said event or activity and they spend the rest of their waking hours asking how soon we’re leaving. I almost always regret telling them because of their relentless asking and whining about why we’re not leaving or there yet. It never fails.
I’m sure you can relate that it’s incredibly fun to share about the good things we have planned for our kids. It’s a blessing to see their excitement and to think about the event and journey together. It’s hard to keep that from them.
But, it’s not always wise that I reveal the good things to them so far ahead of time.
A wise woman recently shared an analogy of how God often leads us with a small light like a pointer laser (like the ones we used to take to school to play around while the teacher was turned around). God more often gives us just a small glimpse of the next faithful step forward He wants us to take and asks us to simply walk towards that small light. It’s not very often (or even very good for us), that He uses a flood light to show us far in advance His plans for us or our future.
He knows we can’t handle it and that it would change our attitude towards Him and others in the meantime.
That’s what anxiety really is. It’s worrying about the things we don’t yet know or can’t quite completely control. It’s putting large stock in our ability to predict, control, and foresee the future. God knows it’s more emotionally reasonable and manageable to just wake up in the morning and ask Him to faithfully lead us that day.
In James 1:5 (after asking us to change our attitude towards suffering), James states that when we don’t know where that light is taking us, we can “ask God for wisdom…and it will be given generously.”
The kindness of God.
Maybe if we surrender each day, He’ll allow us the privilege of looking back with that flood light to remind us that He was good and right all along.
Just my thoughts for today,
Blessings to you as you ask for wisdom and receive His good gifts!
