The other day my 21 month old granddaughter had "had it" with not getting her way. Since we were not at home at the time and had to drive home, putting her in her car seat with seat belts all snug and constricting didn't help her outlook. As she fussed and fumed, trying to break out of her confinement, I continued to drive the car. She did not like her situation and wanted us to know it. Her mother, knowing that the tantrum would just have to run its course, calmly reached back to the car seat and placed her hand on Katie Lynn's leg and with all sincerity said to her, "I love you." She wanted her daughter to know that she heard her, recognized her frustration and loved her anyway.
Later, I thought how similar we are to this little child. We find ourselves in unpleasant and sometimes even painful circumstances - physical limitations, financial crisis, rejection, grief or personal losses - and our emotions carry us off into dark places. We are angry, lonely, disappointed or afraid. Why doesn't God remove me from this situation? Doesn't he love me? We don't understand that he is there with us all the time, wanting to use these situations in our lives to make us stronger and to encourage us to trust him more. His reassuring hand is on us as he whispers, "I do love you." We must stop screaming long enough to hear it.
No comments:
Post a Comment