She's Trying To Ruin My Life!
by Linda Godsey
“Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything
on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you
go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know
it all. Run to God! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health; your
very bones will vibrate with life!” (Proverbs 3:5-8, The Message)
Last summer I picked up my grandson, Kyle, from Vacation Bible School. When he saw me, he ran to the car with his friend Cameron, to see if he could come home with us. Not knowing my daughter’s plans, I called her to see if Kyle had permission to bring home a friend. She proceeded to tell me that she and Kyle had already discussed the matter earlier that morning and the answer was still the same, “No, Cameron can’t come over after VBS, but he may come over later.”
I told Kyle what his mother said and he became indignant. He crawled into the car and plopped his body onto the seat next to me. With a sullen face, he said, “My mother is trying to ruin my life!” I could hardly hold back the laughter, but I restrained myself and told him I was sure that wasn’t the case. He finally settled down, slid down into the seat and with a sigh said, “Fine!”
What Kyle didn’t realize is that his mother had good reasons and right motives for saying “no.” The decision was not made to ruin his life, but it was made in consideration of all the members of the family. In fact, she had told him earlier that she planned for Cameron to come over later in the afternoon and go swimming in their backyard pool. Kyle could not grasp the big picture, so he became exasperated. He questioned her decision at every point. He did not believe she had his best interest at heart.
Does that sound familiar?
Kyle’s story makes me think of the times that God says, “No” or “Wait.” Most of the time, we don’t understand. Sometimes we complain bitterly, not always audibly, but internally we register our complaint, “God, are you trying to ruin my life?”
God’s reasons and motives are always pure and right. He always has our best interest at heart, whether it feels like it or not. We can always trust Him. He will never fail or disappoint. As someone so magnificently wrote, “When you can’t trust His hand, trust His heart.” Learning to trust when we do not understand is a mark of Christian maturity.
This week
Make a conscious choice to trust the Lord and know that He has your best interests at heart -- even when you encounter circumstances you don’t understand.
Prayer
“Lord, help me to remember that I have a finite mind and you have the big picture in mind. Your word says that you will work everything to my good as I allow my heart to safely trust in you. Father, give me the calm assurance that you have my best interests at heart.”
You don't see Linda Godsey on television, but every time you watch Life Today, you see her work. Linda has served as James and Betty's makeup artist for several years.
