Trusting
God
By Kimberley J. Payne
This morning as I was getting the children
ready for school, I helped them prepare breakfast
and pack their lunches. I reviewed spelling
words with them and ensured their homework was
collected in their backpacks. I had seen the
weather forecast for the day and knew it was
going to remain cool all day. I suggested they
wear sweaters and layer with a fall coat for
the brisk walk to the bus stop. My kids chose
to ignore my advice. My son decided that all
he needed was a t-shirt; no hat, no mitts, no
sweater, no coat.
I remember learning from Barbara Coloroso that
if it isn't dangerous or morally threatening,
I should let them do it. I stated my case that
I believed it in their best interest to bundle
up.
They chose to ignore me and so off we went
to the bus stop. It's a full kilometer (a little
over half a mile) walk to the top of a treeless
hill and the wind can feel like a knife slicing
through the skin. My children endured the cold
until halfway, when I presented them with the
jackets I had quietly carried under my arm.
They took them without complaint, and I bit
my tongue from saying, "I told you so."
It reminded me of my relationship with God.
What I was asking my children to do was to trust
me. Trust Mom to have their best interests at
heart. Trust Mom to know what she is talking
about. Even though they didn't know that I had
read the outdoor thermostat upon waking up in
the morning, and I had reviewed the day's forecast,
I wanted them to trust me. By ignoring me, they
were saying that they didn't believe I knew
what was best for them and that in fact they
did. What they knew was that yesterday it was
a warm enough day for short-sleeves. What they
knew was that it was warm enough in the house
to wear short-sleeves. Therefore, they felt
informed enough to make their own decision on
what to wear outside.
I do the same with God. Many times I take a
concern to God and He says, "Trust Me."
But I rely on what I know of yesterday, and
how I feel today, and so I make decisions based
on this. I find it difficult to understand God's
plan. Yet He knows the future. And He has my
best interests in mind.
Too many times I forge ahead of Him, thinking
that I know better, I can handle it better.
I don't fully trust Him. And so instead of leaving
the house in a warm sweater and jacket, I stumble
into the cold with short-sleeves, determined
that my way is the best way.
Thank God that He loves us more than a parent
loves her child. He is always waiting, ready
to offer us a warm coat. He stands waiting to
protect us and take care of us. And He rejoices
when we look to Him as our Provider. He never
says, "I told you so." He embraces
us with love time and time again. He is patient
and forgiving.
We can thank God that when we act like little
children, He still loves us and cares enough
to take care of us. As the psalmist wrote, "The
Lord's unfailing love surrounds the man who
trusts in Him" (Psalm 32:10).
Kimberley J. Payne is a writer,
speaker, and the author of Fit
for Faith, which empowers women to become
more spiritually and physically healthy. She
has designed and implemented employee wellness
programs which have been featured in Shape and
Wholelife Magazines, and counseled individuals
on weight control, stress management, self esteem
improvement and overall wellness. Kimberley
writes a devotional column, Today's Faith, which
is published in several newspapers, and a health
and fitness column for a national newspaper.
Visit Kimberley's website: http://www.kimberleypayne.com/
