I Can Do It By Myself

To say that this day was a challenging day in motherhood is a gross understatement!  I found myself seemingly constantly redirecting & disciplining my 3 year old.  As I sat tonight, completely exhausted from the parenting battles of the day, and watched her attempt to put her pajamas on herself, God taught me a lesson.

She fought and struggled to get her shirt on by herself.  Any offer of help was quickly and animately refused.  Direction and instruction were completely disregarded.  After quite a while of struggle & frustration, she finally got her now-very-stretched-out shirt on.  All the while insisting, "I can do it by my self!"

As I sat trying to convince her that if she'd simply listen to me, this process would be much easier and less frustrating, that still small voice spoke.  You know the one.  It interrupts the pity party of your day and steps on your spiritual toes a bit.

I suddenly got a glimpse of what God must feel like dealing with me and my stubbornness and independence.  I sit and try to do things myself, my way.  All the while, God is giving direction and instruction that I'm just not listening to.  I hear it, just like my daughter did tonight, but I'm not listening.  All the while, God sits patiently by, knowing that I'll probably get my proverbial shirt on, but when I do I'll be exhausted, frustrated and it'll probably be stretched a size bigger.  But if I had simply listened, the process would have been easier, smoother.  And I'd maybe enjoy the outcome a little more!

Proverbs 13:1 says "Intelligent children listen to their parents; foolish children do their own thing."  Today that sounds a little different to me.  Yes, I want my children to listen to me.  But today I hear it as my Heavenly Father talking to His daughter, telling me to listen!  And don't try to do it by my self!