Monday, July 7, 2014

Notes From My Daughter - Don't Correct Me

Occasional notes from my 20 year old daughter. I never know what to expect when she writes, but it's usually a pleasant surprise.  Read on!

My daughter

When we see the truth we point it out. The truth is ultimately a light that will cut through any darkness. When the truth cuts through some darkness in us however, we get defensive. We find it hard to believe that we ARE (not maybe, not perhaps, not kind of) wrong.

Let's just take a brief moment out of all our busy glamorous lives to be clear and honest: we all could have avoided much pain if we listened to God. Not only could we have avoided destructive pain (there is constructive pain so don't avoid that) but we also could have progressed if we listened.

I am not encouraging you to live in a world of "should've, would've, could've," because that's not the solution. All hope is not lost, God is a merciful great God, but this post is going to focus on you as His child and how the choices you make in your role do indeed impact the play we call Life.

Conceptually, I think we all understand we aren't God. But sometimes we get this notion that if we were God everything would be OK because we could have control. What if I told you, you could get the control you seek by………submitting? Crazy ain't it? But it's true.

Know your role and listen to the one ahead of you; simply put God has it all properly ordered in His will for life.
To be honest, when I think about God's role,
  1. I know for certain I can't do it
  2. I don't know how I would feel if I made paradise, Hell and everything in between yet the creation that I gave my heart to only listened to me on their terms.

Every parent out there can testify that it is a burning frustration when their child doesn't listen to them, and that feeling isn't really birthed from their selfishness. 99% of the time you  want your children to listen because you see the best path for them, and you, having lived longer, know better than them. (This is my public apology to my mother for the many times I didn't listen to you, love you mom).

If you study 1 and 2 Samuel you will see the difference between a man that listened to what he interpreted God would want him to do, and a man who was truly after God's own heart.
Saul: Shows us a lot through his character. Looking at his life we can learn in advance to faithfully listen to God at all times even when you think you know what's best.
David: A man who still did wrong, and suffered the consequences, but made God the center of his choices.

Listening takes time, and its effects happen over time. Be patient, not prideful.

"Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing had yet been done"- C.S Lewis


2 comments:

  1. Preach!

    A young woman with a great head on her shoulders!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Seriously your daughter is so articulate...she inspires me. She should have her own blog...her voice is needed for the masses of young and old!

    ReplyDelete

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