The Eyes of the Child of God
One day I saw a mother and child in the toy aisle of a department store in Bozeman, Montana. Time and again the mother told the boy it was time to go, but he just couldn’t seem to tear himself away from the toys. So then the mother began to walk down the aisle and disappeared around the corner. What the child did not realize was his mother was watching him through the racks. He never was out of her sight. The youngster finally looked up, seeing the last glimpse of her around the corner, the shiny toy suddenly became less important and his mother the focus of his attention. Hurrying now, the child trotted in the direction he has last seen her and began to call her name. Immediately she walked out into the open, took him by the hand, and left the store. God allows trials in our lives to see where the eyes of the child of God will turn.
In distress are we looking to Him? Are we sensitive to his leading? Do we seek his face instead of playing with our ‘toys’? I Peter 3:5 says, “Casting all your cares upon him for he careth for you.” He is strong enough to bare all of our burdens. If we try to deal with everything in our own strength then we have not learned the purpose of the lesson. Then, just like a school teacher, Christ puts us through the same trial or a similar one again until we learn what he is trying to teach us.
A true step of growth is when in the face of a trail we turn to the Lord, spread our problem out before Him — as King Hezekiah did, and begin praying about the problem. It is OK to say, “I don’t understand!” But we should never say, “I give up!”
Another true step of growth in trials is when we:
- lay the matter before God,
- admit that we have no idea how he will work it out,
- have confidence that God is in control and it will be OK,
- and trusting that he knows best and can see the whole picture.
This is humility. This is admitting that you need his hand in your life to direct it. Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
So the next time circumstances begin to challenge you, focus on Christ. Don’t run to a friend and ask for a pity party. Turn to him first. If there are struggles that we could help you with, be sure to give us a call. We are here to help.