The truth is that I had thought about selecting him, but only a limited number of kids were going to be selected and I tried to select a variety of kids. It didn't seem like that big a deal to me, but to him, his disappointment was very real. Of all the kids in the room, he was suppose to the be the "special" one because his mom was leading...
The Father opened my eyes to how often I have viewed my walk with Him from that same perspective. Have I not looked at the blessings of others and been jealous? Have I not looked in frustration at my Father and felt betrayed because He chose to bestow upon another a treasure I had longed for? Does this feel familiar to you, as well?
So often, as precious children of the Most-High-King, we begin to feel entitled to whatever we wish. Yet, our Father is far more interested in developing a spiritually-mature faith that is hard core and marrow deep than trying to entertain us in order to keep us happy. He knows us so intimately, as the knitter behind our frame, and everything that comes into our life is used to grow and mature us. That fact is easy to accept when it is a blessing, huh? What about when a trial comes or when circumstances befall you that literally knock the wind out of you? A death....a betrayal....a crushed dream.... a desperate need.... is it easy to trust that He has purpose for THOSE events in your life? Tis, often, a hard pill to swallow.
I read the following statement this morning, "We're all looking for a quick fix, but God is after lasting change. He leads us to a lifestyle of Christianity." (Beth Moore, Praying God's Word Day by Day) What He is leading us to is a real and genuine faith that has been tested and tried for the sake of its purity. That kind of faith is rare and priceless to our King. If you are walking a difficult journey, it is because He sees great potential within you for more.... more faith.... more purity.... more strength.... more love.....more hope.... more of all that reflects of His very own character. It is love that pushes you to the limit of your own personal abilities and beyond in order for you to see HIM more clearly. At the end of your life, what will have more value and worth? The temporary reprieve or request that you so desperately want- or a purity of character in faith developed by our King of Kings? What is the treasure you long for most?
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35-39 KJV)
