It was Halloween evening...a magical time for children. What is better than playing dress up and being given candy?
Unfortunately our magical evening was plagued by tired, grumpy kids, one kid down with an eye infection, parental miscommunication, freezing cold weather, and a vehicle making strange noises.
We had left our first "magical" stop for the evening - create your own spooky face pancakes at IHOP and were headed to our second...indoor trick or treating.
We stopped at a gas station to identify and correct said strange car noise referenced above. As we parked, the questions started.
"Why are we here? Why is daddy getting out? Why is that open? What is he getting out of the trunk? Why is daddy going inside? Why are you moving the car?" It didn't stop. Kate questioned on and on. I did my best to answer the questions (or most of them) with as much patience as I could muster. After all, this 3 and a half year old was concerned that we had been indefinitely thrown off the trick or treating track for the evening.
Having corrected the strange noise problem, we were back on the road only to be informed within seconds that "this is not the way to trick or treating." We tried to argue, however Kate insisted that we were going the wrong way. Eventually we just had to give up and tell her to wait and see.
During this small window I marveled at how someone could at the same time so confidently KNOW EVERYTHING, and also feel the need to ask THOUSANDS OF QUESTIONS every day.
And then it hit me, that feeling that I get when I know God is teaching me something and that it isn't just for me. When it comes to our relationship with God, we are exactly the same as my little three year old conundrum.
We spend our days asking God why? Why did you let this happen? Why didn't that happen? Why did he get that and I didn't? Why me? Why not me? When? What is going to happen next?
And then in our next breath, we dare to tell God that we know better than he does. "No really, we're going the wrong way. This surely isn't what you had planned for me."
In those moments when Kate is asking my ear off, or trying to tell me I have it perfectly wrong, I just want to beg her to please trust me. I want to help her understand that she can trust me, that she doesn't need to know everything, she doesn't need to control everything, and that she doesn't already KNOW everything.
I can hear God saying the same thing to you and to me. Trust me, he says. It doesn't make sense to you right now, but I've got this. You don't have to control it, I do. You think you know better, but you don't. I can see the big picture, you cannot.
My friends, let go and simply trust God. Simple words to write and extremely difficult words to put into practice. Next time you feel yourself starting to worry, or doubt, question, or act like you know better than God, remember little Kate and how silly she sounds insisting she knows the way.
Priceless :)
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