The Father Who Listens
Posted By Joe on February 8, 2010
If my boys came to me and asked me for help, would I help them? Yes, to the best of my ability but also I would do my best to guide them into figuring something out on their own. Be a coach, of sorts. It really does them no good to do for them what they can do for themselves. They will never grow.
And so when I think about my heavenly Father and the things I ask of Him, I try to relate it in these terms. If I love my sons and am willing to do whatever I can to help them, how much more does God love me?
Jesus taught us the same:
"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!" --Matthew 7:11.
Thing is, I know God is in control of my life. Most of the time, I do trust that He knows what is good for me, just as Jesus said in Matthew. I'm not perfect. I don't always trust. I don't believe any of us trust 100% of the time.
I've struggled a very long time with what line of work I'm best suited for. Do I have what it takes to be in business for myself? If so, what business? If not, what type of work do I enjoy doing? Just because I can do something, does that mean I should be doing it?
While I was out of work for several months last year, I prayed that God would bless me with a job. He did. I even got the call the day before Thanksgiving! But there was a choice involved and part of me thinks I made the wrong choice.
So now I'm struggling to figure out things again and wondering how I've found myself in yet another less-than-ideal spot. I'm also struggling with finding the balance between being grateful for God's blessings and allowing myself to ask my Father to help me out of an undesirable situation.
Part of the message today at church was on Psalm 55. I love Psalm 55. It's one of those great prayers of David that still speaks to me today and what I'm going through.
Give ear to my prayer, O God; and do not hide Yourself from my supplication. Give heed to me and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and am surely distracted. --Psalm 55:1-2.
That's me for sure: restless in my complaint and distracted in my thoughts of starting another week.
My heart is in anguish within me, and the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror has overwhelmed me. --Psalm 55:4-5.
This may be a little more extreme than what I'm experiencing, but I still can identify with it.
Evening and morning and at noon, I will complain and murmur, and He will hear my voice. --Psalm 55:17.
And this was the verse I keyed in on this morning. So often we hear the flip-side of this. We hear about the children of Israel murmuring and complain in the wilderness, and that God dealt with them harshly for that. So I suppose we forget sometimes that God is our Father and He wants to hear about what we are struggling with. The key is how we are approaching it. Are we reaching out to God in faith in our complaint? Or are we simply calling God out and shaking a fist at Him?
He will redeem my soul in peace from the battle which is against me, for they are many who strive with me. Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. --Psalm 55:18, 22.
I know my Father hears me. I also know that He always answers me. I guess I've learned that "no" is an answer just as much as "yes" is. It just isn't the answer I like to hear. But hearing these passages from Psalm 55 reminded me that sometimes it's okay to go to God and present our complaint. David did. And how did God describe David?
"The Lord has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart." --1 Samuel 13:14.
The verse is speaking of David! God--knowing everything that David would fail at later in life--still called David a "man after His own heart." So if David felt like he could go to God with his murmurs and complaints, why shouldn't we?
Have you gone to God with your murmurs and complaints? What was your experience?
May He Increase!
