Thy Will Be Done

“In all they ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

-Proverbs 3:6

There are many times when I watch my son choose to submit and trust me.  Sometimes, he relies with conviction and happily goes forward with what I direct him towards.  Other times, I have to let him cry it out and come to his own realization; that he has the ability to show faith and move forward. 

Each day Channing and I descend about 20 stairs to get to our morning destination… breakfast.  Channing has known for months and months how to walk down these stairs, holding onto each little metal rail as he goes.  Many times he simply doesn’t want to walk himself; he wants me to carry him.  He’s too tired, hungry, impatient, and knows I can speed up the process.

Sometimes I do carry him, when I sense he needs an extra measure of my love, when I understand just how hungry he is, or when I see that speeding up the process brings a more important new experience, awaiting him downstairs. 

But most of the time, I don’t carry him.  I want him to be strong.  I want him to be just like me; strong enough to teach another. 

The time it takes to learn a lesson can teach us more than the lesson itself.

Channing always shows me love, despite these struggles I often leave him to solve on his own.  In this way he is submissive.  To show love towards your creator after you’ve been afflicted takes Christ-like humility and trust.   He recognizes that I’m teaching him, by helping him but also by not helping him.

Like Channing, we have a stronger teacher who lovingly watches. 

I love the words of Job:

"Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.  

In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly."

-Job 1:21&22