For When You Are Wondering Why God Doesn’t “Just Fix It”!

By Creative Commons @ Flickr by Sophia.Marie

I shared a while back about those looooong trials that really sift you – drawing pinning you to your knees day after day and yet, the only apparent change is {not in your circumstances} but in you.  Through these sorts of trials we grow in our humility, our faith and our reliance on the dependability of God.  They are hard lessons.  This discipline is painful for the moment and we cling to the promise that in the end it will bring peace to us.  …but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in His holiness.  No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.  Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.  Hebrews 12:10-11

Lately, my {nearly} 2-year old son has decided that removing his diaper at every opportunity is his latest developmental milestone.  Somebody {oh, was that me?} laughed the first time he managed to drop his drawers and now it is as if he is performing a show – 20+ times a day.  This little guy is generally easy-going and nothing like his older, strong-willed brother whom I have grown accustomed to disciplining.  Sigh…

No this little guy is sweet and cuddly and compliant and oh so easy-going.  Except for this diaper thing.  Reluctantly, I have had to discipline him for removing his diaper.  His cries of despair make my heart ache.  Yet, I know that this discipline is a good thing – laying the foundation in his life to deny himself, and listen to the authority in his life.  As I sat with him this morning and held him I thought how God is like this with me.

Just as my ‘baby boy’ does not fully understand the deeper meanings of why he is being corrected, I do not fully understand the deeper reasons that God is allowing these difficult times in my life.  I am imagining that the bottle of my tears that God is collecting is rather large and full and wondering how this is all going to work for the good and when it will end.   I am pretty sure I am not the only person who has prayed this deep and reverent prayer, “God, why don’t you just do something?!”

In fact, we learned about one such person in our Bible Study last Wednesday night.  The message was from 2 Kings chapter 5 on the rather well-known story of Namman, the commander of the army of the king of Syria.  He was a great and honorable man – even considered a mighty man of valor BUT, he was also a leper.  Through a God-inspired series of events, Naaman was brought to the Israelite prophet Elisha for healing.  Elisha instructs Naaman to go and wash in the Jordan River seven times for healing.  I suppose because Naaman was used to the finer things in life that even the thought of stepping one foot in the grimy, putrid waters of the Jordan River seemed beneath him.  Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’”  2 Kings 5:11 

Photo from lance.hill @ Flickr – The Jordan River

I sat there, conviction running strong, as the story was read and expounded upon by our faithful pastor.  I have read through the Bible many times, but I definitely don’t remember that part of the story.  Of course I probably didn’t need to hear it like I do now either but there I was thinking of how arrogant and foolish Naaman seemed and then that Holy Spirit prick of my own heart telling me that perhaps I am being arrogant and foolish in resisting the greater plans of God.

Watch how the story unfolds.  Naaman eventually relents, washes seven times in the Jordan and is healed both physically and spiritually.  And he {Naaman} returned to the man of God {Elisha}, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, “Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take a gift from your servant.” 2 Kings 5:15  

Now I am asking myself if I am submitting to the authorities in my life.  As strange, annoying or seemingly unneccessary as their requests may be?  This is humbling.  Painful even.  Why do we resist authority?  Authority is placed over us by God for our protection.  The simple reason is – pride.  Naaman’s pride nearly cost him his healing.  Do I want my pride to steal my healing?

Isn’t God just awesome?  When we seek wisdom from Him, He is faithful to provide it.  Even if it is not the message that we want to hear.  Perhaps the prayer should not be, “Fix it, Lord!” but rather, “Help me to learn the lessons that You want me to learn.”

Continuing giving {and counting} thanks to our Lord, from whom all blessings flow, today:

215.  God’s astounding faithfulness that increases my faith

216.  the power of God’s word

217.  a faithful pastor that is always there for us

218.  the soft heart of a child

219.  the challenges of parenting that remind me how I am like a child to God

220.  a beautiful summer garden

221.  pondering parallels between gardening and life as I water

222.  weeds that are in wet soil are easier to pull than those in dry soil

223.  sin natures are easier to ‘weed’ if they are washed in the water of the Word

224.  the smell of summer jasmine blowing in the evening wind

225.  smells of backyard BBQs

226.  cold watermelon on a hot afternoon

227.  the lazy lounging after a refreshing afternoon swim

228.  Red Velvet cake with lots of frosting

229.  a great night’s sleep

230.  strawberry shortcake for dinner!

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