By Erin Elizabeth Austin
There’s a new man in my life. Well, maybe the word “man” is a bit misleading considering he’s only three-weeks old. My sister just had a little boy, bringing the grand total of nephews I have to three. Although my newest nephew is only a mere three-weeks old, he has stolen my heart. I've spent as much time as I possibly can at my sister’s over these last few weeks, and I've noticed something: Babies have absolute faith in their parents. They feel safe and secure and don’t have a care in the world. They don't lay in their cribs worrying about where their next meal will come from. They trust their parents completely.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. “Of course babies trust their parents! They’re supposed to!” And while I understand this, I can’t help but wonder why adults don’t trust God in the same way. Stop and think about it. Although we are adults and we like to think we’re self-sufficient, we’re really not. Our Daddy God is the One who takes care of our needs. He provides the money, food, clothing, and place to live, and He does it because He loves us. He wants to take care of us. Yet far too often, we get angry at Him when things go wrong. We blame Him for our problems, when He’s the One to whom we should be running.
I became very aware of this while holding my nephew the other day. He’s having a hard time with acid reflux. Although he’s able to eat, lately it’s been causing him pain. Yet he hasn’t gotten angry at his parents. He hasn’t refused to be held or tried to get away from them because he blames them for his problems. On the contrary, he’s found comfort and peace in his parents’ arms. His acid reflux hasn’t gone away yet, but he knows that he is loved, safe, and secure when in their arms.
There’s a new man in my life. Well, maybe the word “man” is a bit misleading considering he’s only three-weeks old. My sister just had a little boy, bringing the grand total of nephews I have to three. Although my newest nephew is only a mere three-weeks old, he has stolen my heart. I've spent as much time as I possibly can at my sister’s over these last few weeks, and I've noticed something: Babies have absolute faith in their parents. They feel safe and secure and don’t have a care in the world. They don't lay in their cribs worrying about where their next meal will come from. They trust their parents completely.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. “Of course babies trust their parents! They’re supposed to!” And while I understand this, I can’t help but wonder why adults don’t trust God in the same way. Stop and think about it. Although we are adults and we like to think we’re self-sufficient, we’re really not. Our Daddy God is the One who takes care of our needs. He provides the money, food, clothing, and place to live, and He does it because He loves us. He wants to take care of us. Yet far too often, we get angry at Him when things go wrong. We blame Him for our problems, when He’s the One to whom we should be running.
I became very aware of this while holding my nephew the other day. He’s having a hard time with acid reflux. Although he’s able to eat, lately it’s been causing him pain. Yet he hasn’t gotten angry at his parents. He hasn’t refused to be held or tried to get away from them because he blames them for his problems. On the contrary, he’s found comfort and peace in his parents’ arms. His acid reflux hasn’t gone away yet, but he knows that he is loved, safe, and secure when in their arms.
I’ve always been open about the time in my life when I wasn’t quite as trusting with God. I blamed Him for my sickness and decided I wanted nothing to do with Him, but this only hurt me even more. I was running from the only One who could give me true and lasting comfort. It took a while (and by that I mean years) for me to realize that the very One I was running from was the One I needed to be running to. Even after I returned to God, my trust in Him was tenuous at best. As much as I hate to admit this, God had to show me He was trustworthy. Although I was in the wrong, He had to help me see the truth of His love. I’m so thankful God didn’t give up on me, even though He had the right.
It’s easy to blame God when things go wrong in our lives. We often need someone to blame for our problems, and God is an easy target. However, we shouldn’t blame God for anything. He is the only One who always loves us, never fails us, never turns against us, and never leaves us. God IS trustworthy.
He loves you, sickness and all. Don’t run away from Him. You’re only hurting yourself. I have been sick long enough to say I’ve tried to be self-sufficient, I’ve tried living without God, and I’ve dealt with my sickness by trusting God. The only thing that works is turning to God. Like my nephew has learned, the problems won’t necessarily go away, but there is a comfort only God can give. Whatever you’re going through, turn to God. Find the comfort only He can give. And if you’re angry at God or blame Him for your problems, it’s time to be honest with Him. He already knows how you feel, but healing can’t happen until you stop hiding from the truth – the truth of what you’re going through, the truth of what you’re feeling, and the truth about God in all of this.
It’s time to learn from the wisdom of a newborn. Cry out to your Daddy God and find comfort in His loving arms. You won’t be sorry!
“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. And so we should not be like cringing, fearful slaves, but we should behave like God’s very own children, adopted into the bosom of His family, and calling to Him, ‘Daddy, Father.’ For His Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we really are God’s children. And since we are His children, we will share His treasures—for all God gives to His Son Jesus is now ours too. But if we are to share His glory, we must also share His suffering. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will give us later.” ~ Romans 8:14-18 (TLB)
© September 19, 2013
It’s easy to blame God when things go wrong in our lives. We often need someone to blame for our problems, and God is an easy target. However, we shouldn’t blame God for anything. He is the only One who always loves us, never fails us, never turns against us, and never leaves us. God IS trustworthy.
He loves you, sickness and all. Don’t run away from Him. You’re only hurting yourself. I have been sick long enough to say I’ve tried to be self-sufficient, I’ve tried living without God, and I’ve dealt with my sickness by trusting God. The only thing that works is turning to God. Like my nephew has learned, the problems won’t necessarily go away, but there is a comfort only God can give. Whatever you’re going through, turn to God. Find the comfort only He can give. And if you’re angry at God or blame Him for your problems, it’s time to be honest with Him. He already knows how you feel, but healing can’t happen until you stop hiding from the truth – the truth of what you’re going through, the truth of what you’re feeling, and the truth about God in all of this.
It’s time to learn from the wisdom of a newborn. Cry out to your Daddy God and find comfort in His loving arms. You won’t be sorry!
“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. And so we should not be like cringing, fearful slaves, but we should behave like God’s very own children, adopted into the bosom of His family, and calling to Him, ‘Daddy, Father.’ For His Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we really are God’s children. And since we are His children, we will share His treasures—for all God gives to His Son Jesus is now ours too. But if we are to share His glory, we must also share His suffering. Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will give us later.” ~ Romans 8:14-18 (TLB)
© September 19, 2013
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