Thursday, May 28, 2015

Need Help?

So, one of my children had a, uh, fender bender recently. No one was hurt, and no damage came to the vehicles. But there was a ticket issued.
Which had an associated fine.
Which has been paid.
We thought the situation was over. Until a notice came in the mail stating the correct amount for the fine, including a little line labeled, "balance due." The child has seen the notice - he's the one who opened it - and, yet, it sits on the kitchen counter waiting to be paid.
More than once I have asked the aforementioned child when he is going to take care of the aforementioned fine. Each time the child has made a non-committal response about taking care of it sometime. And each time, I have thought about how easy it would be for me to just do it - but known that to do so would not be doing the child any favors. He needs to take responsibility. I know that!
I had to help him with the initial fine because it required a cashier's check and he didn't know how to obtain one. So, we went to the bank together and got it. The thing is, I would be happy to help him get whatever he needs to have for the balance, but he hasn't asked.
And I'm not just going to do it for him.
If he wants my help, he needs to ask me for it.

Well, the other day I was looking at the notice sitting on the kitchen counter and pondering my child's inactivity - when I realized God was drawing me a picture of how our relationship sometimes plays out.
*I serve a God who can do anything. Any.Thing!
*I serve a God who knows what is best for me, who knows everything I need, and who can make it happen.
*I serve a God who knows how incapable I am to handle most of what life gives me.
*I serve a God who would gladly help me with it all.
I imagine He sits in heaven looking at me, and saying something like, Karen, when are you going to have that talk? Have you decided how you're going to handle that circumstance? That other situation still needs your attention. Have you figured out what you're going to do yet? You haven't forgotten, have you, that I am here and would love to help you with each of these things? I'm right here! All you need to do is ask.
It's silly, really. I can get so overwhelmed by the things I need to do, all the duties vying for my attention, that I just want to quit. Like a certain child of mine, sometimes I become inactive because I don't know what to do. And all that time God is watching me, waiting for me to ask for help.
If I would only ask - He would be there in a heartbeat to show me the way.

If I would only ask.

Is there something with which you could be asking God to help you?

Karen

2 comments:

Sara K. said...

Ugh. I'm hoping Jesus returns before my kids are of driving age. :)

To answer your question, though -- I think God has me in this very parenting experience to do just that: cause me to be ASKING HIM FOR HELP. All. The. Time. Except I don't. Because I'm stubborn. And stupid. And have this nasty independent streak.

Which reminds me, two days ago my oldest son was having a lot of trouble with his attitude -- so I suggested that he go back to his room and ask Jesus for help. With his fists clenched, he gritted his teeth and said, "But Mom, I don't..." And I said, "You don't want to ask Jesus for help?" And he was like, "How did you know??" So I explained to him that this is how many humans are -- we don't want to ask for help, we want to do it ourselves. But Jesus WANTS us to ask Him for help -- and it is not a sign of weakness to ask Him for help -- because the truth is, we CAN'T do it on our own strength!

Well anyway... so this mom needs to take her own advice and PRAY EVEN MORE! (Though my prayers ARE getting more desperate, that my son's heart will be soft toward God...and us...)

That was a LONG answer!

Karen Hossink said...

Sara - But if HE returns before your kids start driving, you'll miss out on so much, uh, excitement. *wink*
God often uses the words I have for my children to speak directly to me. Kinda makes me feel like I'm wise - to have come up with the words, and dumb - to have not heeded them myself already. *ahem*

I loved your LONG answer.