“You ever have things you thought were going to happen,” I asked Stan one morning, “only to find out they didn’t turn out the way you believed?”
“You might as well ask me if I have ever taken a breath,” Stan replied with a smile.
Continuing, he added, “Yes, there have been many times I believed God was going to answer my prayers in a certain way, only to find out I was wrong.”
“How do you respond to that?” I asked.
“How I respond today is different from what my response used to be,” he replied.
“In what way?”
“A change in what I believe.”
“What kind of change?”
“A change from believing what I thought was going to happen would happen,” Stan replied, “to believing that God’s will is going to be done and His purposes are going to be accomplished. Period.”
Continuing, he added, “Having that kind of belief certainly makes it a whole lot easier for me in my faith walk with God. If I believe that God knows all that’s on my heart, and if I believe that God is going to do for me what He knows is best, it really makes my walk with Him a whole lot less complicated.”
“Less complicated?” I replied. “What’s that mean? Simple?”
“Some might call it ‘simple’, Stan responded, “Others, including Jesus, call it ‘child-like’.”
“Child-like?” I said.
“Yeah,” Stan replied. “You know how children are so trusting, believing that the parent is going to provide for them in the way that is best. That’s child-like faith that Jesus applauded.”
“And,” he concluded, “if I have that kind of faith, believing that my heavenly Father is going to provide what’s best for me, it makes my walk with Him, as I said, a whole lot less complicated in that I don’t have to be concerned when things don’t turn out the way I thought they would!”
It’s His thought that counts, not mine!”
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Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:3.
But Jesus said, “Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. Matthew 19:14.
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28.
Immediately the boy’s father cried out and began saying, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” Mark 9:24.
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Prayer: Thank you, Father, that you want the best for me, regardless of what I may think on my own to be best. I confess that too often I come before you and ask for things that are not in accordance with your will, and then I am disappointed. Please forgive me. And please help me to never be disappointed in you, knowing beyond a shadow of doubt that your will is going to be done and your purposes are going to be accomplished in ways that are best. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: We all have been disappointed when God did not do what we wanted Him to do. Think about what that means for you and your belief. Do you believe that what God does is always best, regardless of what you think you want? Why or why not? The “all things” of Romans 8:28 has two qualifications. What are they — and do you believe they are true? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 