Increase My Joy

I didn't come up with this - it probably came from Pastor Matt. Maybe it's even in scripture - I should look it up. I may have even written about this before, but it bears repeating. (I found where I had written about it before.)

God withholds things from us not to knock us down or keep us in misery. He does it to increase our joy. We just can't see the why because we are too small. Thank God I have a daughter who needs to learn things so that in turn, I can learn things from my Father.

Yesterday after soccer practice, Elyssa decided she wanted to go look at goldfish. A friend on her soccer team has one and she's decided that she wants one too. She begged me to stop at Petco on the way home. I said no. I'm tired of doing things after soccer or exercise because then it's so late when we get home, so dinner is late and then bedtime is late. We have had a week of good mornings with no crying and no yelling. We've even gotten to school on time for at least 4 of the days. I told her no. She begged some more. If you have kids, you know what I'm talking about, "please please please please please please. . . . " Then comes the pouting. After pouting comes the anger.

I looked at her and said, "Elyssa, I know this is hard for you to understand. I have given you logical reasons for why we are not going to stop. You still don't understand because you are so full of "want" right now and it's hard to see past that. I totally understand that feeling of want. But I can see the big picture. I know that giving in right now will not be the best thing for you and me. You think I'm trying to take your joy away, but what I'm really trying to do is increase your joy. It's just hard for you to see. You're going to have to trust me."

Yes, I really do talk to my kid that way. She's brilliant I tell you!

Anyway - in the midst of my talk I was reminded how God is basically saying the same thing to me. I'm so full of want that I can't see past it or understand why His giving in to me is not in my best interest. He knows best. He's not trying to take my joy away. He's trying to increase my joy because He knows best. My job is just to trust Him. I even told Elyssa that there are things I struggle with because I want them now and I don't feel like God is giving them to me. (We've talked briefly about how I want to be married and have more babies.)

We need to wait for God. His perfect plan is. . . well. . . it's perfect. He only wants the best for us. We just have to trust Him. Lord ~ help me trust You!