You know those times you hear a great message at church or a conference or a Bible study and leave thinking, “That was nice. I’m sure someone was really blessed by that word”? Or you even think to yourself of a specific person that it was perfect for? Then, all week following that message, you keep reading and hearing things that re-emphasize that message. And you think, “Gosh that speaker sure was right on target with what a lot of {other} people must be needing to hear right now.” Then, after a week of thinking how great that was for someone else, you get just still enough in His presence to get a Cher-like “snap out of it” slap to your spirit? (Seriously, if you don’t know what movies I’m feeling compelled to quote in this post, let’s not hash out the possible age of said movies…or my age.)
Folks, this was me for the last week. The ridiculous irony of how long it took for God to get through to me is that I actually POSTED A BLOG about the message because I was sure someone needed to hear it. Um, yeah, the someone was me. And when He finally got through to me, I totally did the ugly cry. In church. During worship.
ALL of the things from the last week came flooding back to me. And rather than scolding me for not having my ears turned on, like I would probably do to my kids, I felt His presence rest on me as a week’s worth of nudging began to sink in. Fully sink in. And probably much like my children, I began to realize my stubbornness, my selfishness…my disobedience. I realized that the very thing I thought “other” people needed to hear and work on is exactly what I needed more than anything: Grace in waiting. Patience in waiting. Obedience in waiting. Serving in waiting. Rather than sitting by frustrated, maybe a little bitter, just waiting for Him to fulfill a dream, there’s action for me. It doesn’t have to look like I think it should. It’s probably best that it doesn’t because I’d mess it all up if it was done my way. But I do have to act where I am. I do have to grow where I am. I do have to prove faithful with what I have before He can trust me with more of the dream.
It’s a beautiful thing that my Father did for me yesterday. And in the midst of how He led me to where He wanted me, he also gave me a beautiful parenting lesson. How in the world can I expect my kids to hear me the first time every time, when I don’t even hear my Father the first time every time? Or worse yet, hear but not obey?
God is so gracious with me when I have those “You talkin’ ta me?” moments. As I’m beginning this week, I’m purposing to be intentional to listen to what He has for me. Maybe this week I won’t have to say “you talkin’ ta me?” as God tries to speak to me.
BethBates.Life 