STRESS BUSTER #6: SEEK GUIDANCE FIRST
SOMETIMES I HAVE PROBLEMS that only God knows the solutions to, but He doesn’t seem ready to divulge them to me. Imagine. I keep looking at my watch and tapping my foot—and the answers are just not forthcoming. He knows I’ve got a schedule to keep, and I need answers. NOW. And who better than He knows just what I need?
NO ONE. And maybe that’s exactly why He’s slow to give me guidance. Perhaps I need to learn patience more than I need to keep my schedule. Maybe I need to remember I’m not the one calling the shots. Maybe the right solution isn’t any of the ones I’ve thought of. Maybe for Him, it’s about reminding me to keep an open mind and a watchful eye.
I’LL ADMIT I DON’T OFTEN HAVE an open mind. I’ve lived a long time. I have opinions. And I’ll admit to not being observant. I’ll even admit to not being attuned to my surroundings, admit to having my brain firmly in daydreams at times.
AS A RESULT, I usually do my own thinking before I ask for help—and just maybe that’s not as good an idea as it seems.
RECENTLY I RECEIVED A LETTER from a family member. A landmark birthday for her daughter is coming up, and she wants mentoring notes from several older, and presumably, wiser women. Well, her request stumped me.
WHAT DO I KNOW that might interest a teenage girl? Never wash new black socks with anything else? Crazy glue really will stick your fingers together? Jammed garbage disposal blades can be freed with a broom handle? Transferring experience is impossible, and transferring knowledge runs a close second.
THOROUGHLY HUMBLED, I finally came up with the most important truths I know, and I wrote them down despite my doubts that they’ll mean anything to her until she’s older:
1. True love is a choice, not a chance
2. When in doubt, choose the kindest route, and
3. Keep God close. Let him solve problems BEFORE you’ve grown sick of them, not after.
BEFORE I THOUGHT about it too hard, I sealed the envelope, and resisted the urge to confess all the difficulty I’ve had following this advice myself.
IT’S DAUNTING, REALLY. If this young woman were to see how impatient I can be with God, she might realize how little I’ve changed since I was her age. And that would be a pity.
PERHAPS—JUST IMAGINE THIS!—God has grown a little impatient with me too. Maybe He’s trying to tell me that my life would be far less stressful if only I would learn to wait, to watch, and to remember Who exactly is in charge of my life.
You’re blessed. Be a blessing!
NO ONE. And maybe that’s exactly why He’s slow to give me guidance. Perhaps I need to learn patience more than I need to keep my schedule. Maybe I need to remember I’m not the one calling the shots. Maybe the right solution isn’t any of the ones I’ve thought of. Maybe for Him, it’s about reminding me to keep an open mind and a watchful eye.
I’LL ADMIT I DON’T OFTEN HAVE an open mind. I’ve lived a long time. I have opinions. And I’ll admit to not being observant. I’ll even admit to not being attuned to my surroundings, admit to having my brain firmly in daydreams at times.
AS A RESULT, I usually do my own thinking before I ask for help—and just maybe that’s not as good an idea as it seems.
RECENTLY I RECEIVED A LETTER from a family member. A landmark birthday for her daughter is coming up, and she wants mentoring notes from several older, and presumably, wiser women. Well, her request stumped me.
WHAT DO I KNOW that might interest a teenage girl? Never wash new black socks with anything else? Crazy glue really will stick your fingers together? Jammed garbage disposal blades can be freed with a broom handle? Transferring experience is impossible, and transferring knowledge runs a close second.
THOROUGHLY HUMBLED, I finally came up with the most important truths I know, and I wrote them down despite my doubts that they’ll mean anything to her until she’s older:
1. True love is a choice, not a chance
2. When in doubt, choose the kindest route, and
3. Keep God close. Let him solve problems BEFORE you’ve grown sick of them, not after.
BEFORE I THOUGHT about it too hard, I sealed the envelope, and resisted the urge to confess all the difficulty I’ve had following this advice myself.
IT’S DAUNTING, REALLY. If this young woman were to see how impatient I can be with God, she might realize how little I’ve changed since I was her age. And that would be a pity.
PERHAPS—JUST IMAGINE THIS!—God has grown a little impatient with me too. Maybe He’s trying to tell me that my life would be far less stressful if only I would learn to wait, to watch, and to remember Who exactly is in charge of my life.
You’re blessed. Be a blessing!
posted by Chronic Hope at 3:22 PM
1 Comments:
You are so kind and so wise.
And though you didn't quite put it this way... there's first hand knowledge and there's hearsay. So sometimes it's amazing we've learned as much as we have... and much easier to understand why so much of what we think it true is muddled or just plain wrong.
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