Had Any Knee Jerk Reactions Lately?
Had Any Knee Jerk Reactions Lately?
I had a huge decision to make. “Should I say “yes” or should I say “no”. Should I stay or should I go?” Ever been faced with some tough decisions and rather than waiting to hear the voice of God, we just couldn’t sit idly still….we had to make a move. So, with a knee jerk reaction, we WENT…..only to realize we put the cart before the horse…..er…..rather, we put our ways before God’s ways.
What happened to that instruction from our loving, all-knowing Father? ”Be STILL and KNOW that I am God!” (Psalm 46:10) We just couldn’t sit STILL long enough to get the plan from THE MAN. So we head out on our own. Someone came to my office last week and she told me she really made a mess of a situation and became quite disappointed in herself. She went to see her Mom and her downcast attitude caused her mother to say, “I know that look! So, you had to be in charge again, instead of letting God be charge?”
Oh, the messes we get ourselves into. During this season of my life, I am wading my way through options of saying “yes” or “no” and whether to stay or go. So, as any capable, deliberate, strong and able, “can do” gal would do, I just GO. After all, the light is green….. so I begin to move forward….aggressively, and then suddenly I’m overcome with a loss of peace, a troubled heart and thinking “What was I thinking?” I just couldn’t sit still long enough to listen for His voice. I just couldn’t wait for His voice to call me, instead, my “knee jerk” reaction propelled me into unknown territory with making even some regretful decisions.
Does that sound like a story familiar to you, too? But, here’s what I love about this faith journey we are on. Though I may start out my day as an independent, self-willed “can-do” woman, and I may get myself into some crazy circumstances that may come as a surprise to me, they are not a surprise to God. In spite of my knee-jerk reactions, my God is still my loving Father. And, like our kids who repeatedly do something that we’ve told them a hundred times not to do, we lovingly reel them back in with correction and help them through the mess they got themselves into.
“If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7:11)
God’s character can be trusted. God delights in answering our prayers. Only, He doesn’t always answer how we think He should answer. I think I have great ideas about how my life should go. I think I know what is best, but then I remember that He knows better. He knows the end from the beginning. He knows what outcome will bring about His purposes. He wants to bless us with good things . . . health, wholeness, peace, joy, and rest. When I pray and I feel as though He is silent or not letting me in on the game plan, I have to trust that there is purpose to what He hasn’t told me. He doesn’t hide things from us to hurt us. He will allow me in on His plans in His perfect timing. His perfect timing is the timing that places us at the right place at the right time with what we need for ultimate blessings.
I have a line I use to help people when they have met up with some difficulty or challenge. “Nothing happens to us that doesn’t first go through His sovereign hands. We are no surprise to God.” It all matters to Him. He allows circumstances and consequences to come, especially when we have KNEE-JERK reactions. But thanks be to our loving Father, He gently jerks us back on course to help us finish the race we’ve started.