Curious Ways

It is usually in those things that we (including me) take things for granted are the same things that are God's answers to our prayers and provision in our lives. It's not that there is no proof of his work in our lives; it's our denial of them that gets in the way of our faith or precludes our conversion to Christianity.

I think it takes extreme stripping of all our possessions, relationships, idols, creature comforts for us to truly notice the things that God freely does in our lives for the good. The discipline of building our relationship with God is to be able to have SOME possessions, Godly relationships and no idols AND be able to notice what he does. Imagine God being the "woman" in the marriage "If I ask you to do X then it doesn't mean as much." The real appreciation God feels is when we can see the things without him having to club us in the head. He desires to respond to our unspoken desires (as long as they are part of his will and purpose for us in life). It is not his responsibility to point out  proof of himself... the same way I don't have to prove  I exist.

The best way I can understand God's desiring to make our dreams (his dreams which are much grander than we could ever think up for ourselves) come true is of a parental desire. We would not create an intricate one of a kind piece of art just to tear it apart. He gives to us the same way our parents gave to us intuiting what we need and what is good for our future. Parents know what their children need whether or not the children request for those things or whether they even know what they need. Parents don't always pay attention to their children's wants unless those wants are good for them.

My latest testament to God's working in my life came in such a subtle and involuntary shift in my life. Many parents would try to orchestrate their children being on the same school schedule; but I did not have that luxury. For four more years, my son will go to school an hour before my daughter and he will return 45 minutes before she returns. Many people would beleaguer their need to wake up earlier; I admit that I wasn't so happy about that detail.

With the backdrop of the overlapping schedules, I was given a twice daily opportunity to enjoy my kids virtually one on one (not including the baby).  God primed my heart to make the most of the times with my kids to feed our relationship and ENJOY one another. God also knew that I needed that one on one time as I do much better in that situation than when they are demanding of me at the same time... combined with the rivalry. Now- it is as if our relationships have transformed and they also get along better with each other. They also get the bonus of feeling special. I tell my daughter she cannot come down stairs until my son has left; I protect my time with him.

God, like my children, doesn't want to compete for my adoration. He is the only one that still looks out for me as an adult because I am his child. I still get to be a child in his eyes and get the benefit of unlimited re-dos when I make mistakes (just like children get to make many mistakes in their youth).

Maybe the reason God works in many mysterious ways is so that we will be continually surprised and delighted by his perfect love for us; and so we can continually expand our concept of Him and his limitless power in our lives. Yes, dare I say it, we have an AWESOME God!