With Ten Fingers I Let Him Go!

"In adversity keep motivated, for often the best comes from difficulty." (Norman Vincent Peale)

I once heard the story of a young boy who discovered a caterpillar. He placed it in a safe place and waited for the caterpillar to transform into a butterfly. Within a few days the worm eventually inside the cocoon took on it's form. The butterfly began to break its way through the cocoon. (If you’ve ever watched this process you know that it is always a struggle for the determined insect.) The boy looked on with compassion as the butterfly struggled to free itself. Eager to try and help, the youngster clipped away part of the cocoon with his pocket knife, hoping this would make it easier for it to break loose. The butterfly emerged, but to the boy’s disappointment it couldn’t fly. You see butterflies strengthen their wings by flapping them: penetrating their tiny bodies through the cocoon wall. The butterfly needed to face the struggle, flapping, pushing relentlessly, in order to develop it's wings to fly.

As parents, sometimes we find ourselves doing the same thing to our children. Trying to shield them from struggle and pain we limit their potential to fly high. 

Let’s face it, life is full of adversity and disappointment and if you have kid's over the age of 5 you realize that they are certainly not exempt. The bible says in James “"Consider it pure joy, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

I am not suggesting we invite pain into their lives, but when it does come instead of intervening hastily, we should consider how to handle it, God's way. There will be times when we must and should step in, to protect them from evil intentions and schemes of the enemy, but shielding our children from everything that does not bring them joy will only stunt the growth and development of their wings and God's purpose for their lives.

For this is what the bible refers to as “the testing of their faith” and it is a necessary part of God’s purpose for development.  When we cut into the cocoon to rescue our child, we are denying them the chance to fly!  Instead of interfering, learn to direct them to the ONE who will always be there to walk through those struggles with them, even when we cannot be there ourselves. 

How else will they develop the skills they need to handle life’s challenges? How will they learn to trust in God to comfort and direct them? 

Romans 9:17

"I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."

Reflection: Oh my friends I have been so guilty in this area of parenting. Who likes to watch their child being wrongfully overlooked, intentionally excluded, or purposefully targeted? Not one single mother I know!!!!! But isn’t it a fact of life that age, race, or gender will never exclude us from persecution, adversity and pain? Now is the time to teach our children how to wage war against the enemy in the spiritual realm before it’s too late and they are handicapped by our good intentions, missing the real purpose of God. When trails, disappointment, and adversity come (and they will!) join with your child and bombard heaven in agreement prayer. Be ready to see God move on your behalf and expect your child’s wings to strengthen! Oh He is an amazing God!!!!

Happy Mother's Day!

 Polly

One Day Closer!

The following illustration is taken from Patsy Clairmont’s book, “God Uses Cracked Pots”.

"When he was 7, I sent him off to school one day and a little while later there was a knock at the door. I opened the door and it was Jason. I said 'Jason, what are you doing here?' "He said, 'I've quit school!' "I said, 'Why have you quit school?' "He said, 'Well, it was too long, it was too hard, and it was too boring and a lot of people were too mean.' "I said, 'Jason, you have just described life, get back on that bus!'

Pretty funny story but isn’t it the truth. It’s easy to get tired of  “doing good”; I know I’ve been there. We can stay frustrated when we don’t see a change in the people we are trying to help. It’s understandable to get discouraged when we’ve been given a bad doctor’s report or when we experience a season of lack even though we have remained faithful to tithing and giving. Could it be you are drained physically as a single mom working 40+ hours a week doing the best you can, giving all you have and you still don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel!  Ahhhhhh- life!

Unfortunately, life is not prejudice to any of us and if we let it, it will suffocate our harvest!

The bible admonishes us “not to grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart!” Paul was talking to the church, Christians like you and me. They obviously, must have felt the same struggles? Paul knew when we continually “do good” it will become exhausting. Why? Because doing good, takes effort!

When someone continually mistreats you, it takes an intentional effort to return kindness. When you begin volunteering in a ministry and the demands get greater and more is required of you, it’s easy to consider walking away but it takes more effort to stay committed. When you relentlessly stay on your knees praying for a lost son or daughter, brother or sister or, for healing, restitution, reconciliation yet day after day you see no results, it’s easy to consider the enemies taunts,  “It’s not worth it, throw in the towel. Can’t you see your efforts are a waste of time.”?  It can be so easy to agree with him and take a back seat to prayer.

Satan would love for you to stop “doing good”. He wants you to tell that person off who keeps slandering you and yours. He is waiting for you to trade in your teaching materials for a little rest & relaxation on the weekends and if he can get you to stop spending time on your knees, who else will be praying for your children and loved ones? 

When we find our selves in the place of resistance, exhaustion, and frustration it’s time to recommit to an even greater level of faithfulness in whatever area we feel weary. We must make the decision to keep moving forward, to walk by faith and not by sight!

Personally, when I get to this point in my journey and the overwhelming desire to quit arises, I go back to Galatians 6:9 and remind my enemy – that as hard as he may try to stop me, I know that God keeps His promises and in due season I WILL reap (gather, collect, obtain) all the good I have invested.

So today friend if you are struggling in continuing to “do good”, and you are wrestling with the idea of quitting, please don’t stop doing good, please don’t throw in the towel, please don’t quit! You never know just how close you are to your harvest. It could be less than one season or one day. Maybe you’re just as close as one more prayer offered, one more sacrificial gift given, one more time to turn the other cheek until God declares, “It’s due season for this child, now give her what she’s due!” Don’t let the enemy rob you of your “doing good” harvest, keep on pressing forward even through adversity and take note, you are one day closer! 

Hang in there friend,

Polly