Thoughts Along the Way©
Elaine Mehn
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:9b-10
We bought a new microwave to replace our old microwave that was dying. I measured the space available and looked at the measurements for the new high tech combination unit. Once we got it home we discovered that it needed additional airspace around it and it needed to be plugged directly into the outlet and not into an extension cord. We found a stand at the local recycle store and it just barely fit in the space available. It blocks part of the doorway into the kitchen and makes it a bit difficult to open the American sized oven door. John was standing outside the kitchen in the hall trying to move the stand toward the oven to make the entry to the room wider. I was standing in the kitchen trying to move the stand away from the oven trying to give myself a little more space for opening the door and for standing when cooking. He moved the stand a whole inch and then I moved it back. As we talked we realized that the inch was not making a big difference either way. It was simply a matter of perspective.
I go through life trying to use my prayers to push and nudge and shove God to do what I want. I think that according to my view of things it makes sense for things to be done my way. When God doesn’t budge or seemingly moves the “wrong” way, I become perplexed if not downright perturbed. I wonder why He is not listening and answering. I read “Ask and you shall receive” and wonder if God has stopped listening because I don’t seem to be receiving. When I stop being so self-centered and demanding I realize that the Scripture talks about when we ask according to His will then we receive. It is so easy to forget that Jesus died and rose again so that I can know the will of the Father and have His power work in and through me. When I pray that my will be done, I am spiritually trying to move God according to my understanding and He is not going to settle for less than the best for me. Eventually, I find that God’s perspective was different from mine and that His way was far better than my way.
I am always amazed at how quickly I forget that it is His perspective that counts not mine. I continue to push against His will thinking that even if I gain an inch that it is progress. How very wrong I am. If He allowed my feeble efforts to have an effect, He would be giving me less than the best. He loves me far too much to settle for second best just because at that moment I can’t see the better way.
Prayer: Father, forgive my stubborn attitude that wants my own way. Teach my heart afresh that it is Your way that is always best. I may not see or feel the truth of that but give me eyes of faith to trust even when I don’t understand. Let me rejoice knowing that You know exactly where life is going and how it fits together.