Our phase in parenting has been shifting as our kids get older. I now have a child who lets me know if she agrees with my decisions or not, especially as it relates to her. From this child’s perspective I “sometimes do what is best for me (the mom)” regardless of what this child wants or needs. In this child’s eyes I can be mean and she doesn’t always understand why I made the decisions I did.
And we can talk till I am blue in the face but that doesn’t always make a difference. I finally learned that sometimes all I can say is “can you trust me? I do love you. I am doing what I think is best for you. I know you don’t understand it, you don’t see it, you don’t even like it right now. But can you trust me?”
I am dealing with a child. As smart as this child is, she is still just a child. She thinks, understands, feels, and analyzes like a child. I am an adult and can see and understand things this child can’t. For instance, eating more than 5 marshmallows could make you sick. Or, letting you stay up late every night may be fun but it’s not good for you.
I am an adult! I am not a child.
Yet, I’ve been wondering lately how many times God has whispered the exact same thing to me. “Can you trust Me? I do love you. I am doing what I know is best for you. I know you don’t understand it. You don’t see it. You don’t even like it right now, but can you trust Me?”
If an imperfect parent who desperately loves her children and yet still makes many mistakes, if I can ask my child to trust me – should I not be even more willing to trust my Father in heaven? He is perfect. He knows all, sees all, understands all, and He doesn’t make any mistakes.
Can I acknowledge that He’s still God. He’s still good. He’s still in control. He’s still worthy of worship and adoration. EVEN when He doesn’t make sense.
This same child came up to me once and said, “mom, I don’t always like the decisions you and daddy make, but I still love you.” Oh that we would have the faith of a child. That we would be able to say, “God, I may not like everything you allow, and I certainly don’t understand it, but I still love You.”
Believer, may we grow in our relationship with the Lord. May we mature beyond a child’s reasoning and understanding. But may our faith remain child-like in that we can also say “I don’t understand God, but I still love You.”