The colorful lights of the amusement park are glowing and the festive music is playing.  A toddler is excitedly tugging on daddy’s hand, “Hurry Daddy, we have to get in line!  We don’t want to miss the ride!  Come on, Daddy!  Hurry up!  This way!”  The toddler pulls extra hard, attempting to increase the father’s pace.

Another child is tugging in the opposite direction of the exit gate.  The wise, patient father is not budging.  The tugging increases and so the sour mood of the child.  Daddy waits for the toddler to come to the point of exhaustion and accept the father’s decision. 

This was the picture in my mind’s eye during my prayer time last week.

I often find myself impatiently or angrily tugging at the hand of My Heavenly Father.  Wanting to go faster, breaking His speed limit.  Or wanting to go a in a different direction than He obviously intends.

How often in life do I try to lead my wise and loving Father God?  How often am I pulling and tugging Him in a direction that I am sure will bring delight to all!  Or attempt to hurry Him along to do good things?  I am always so sure that my well thought out plan will lead to healing of emotion, relationships or physical health.  “The possibilities are endless if we go in this direction, Father!   Right now, hurry!  Don’t you see?  Hurry up!  Surely you see the good that could happen!”

The tugging and pulling only robs me of rest and peace.  Unknowingly, the insistent tugging is an attempt to place me in His leadership role. 

In hindsight, the frantic pulling conjures up misdirected energy and attitudes that grow me into a state of panic, fear, disappointment or even disobedience or disillusionment. 

I like to think that I respect and I know I often recognize God’s pace, His rhythm, His timing, His ways; ultimately His leading.  My Heart’s desire is to learn how to follow Him with contentment, no matter what the circumstances.  I want to learn how to sit and wait when my Father is standing still. And I do not want to doubt His goodness, His intent or timing.

At a quick count there are 58 Bible verses about following God and His ways.  And yet as His disciple, a Christ follower, my desire to lead Him often trumps my following.  

I suppose it simply boils down to trust. The definition of trust in the Webster dictionary is:  reliance on the integrity, justice of a person.

So Christian, Follower of Christ, Child of God I challenge you and myself to recognize when we are insistently tugging at the hands of our Father God.  

Instead of pulling, tugging and working yourself into a frenzy; stop, sit in your father’s lap and tell Him about the ride you want to participate.  Tell Him what you are afraid will or won’t happen, what you will miss.  Talk about the ride!  Especially the one you so desperately want to go on or perhaps get off.  He wants to hear your dreams, desires and heartache.

At one point, you made the decision to follow those hands for salvation.  Decide today to keep holding on and follow those same hands one step, one minute, one decision at a time; one ride at a time today.  Hold on tight if you need, no harm done. Just don’t let go.  Eventually you may find yourself not tugging but contently following as He gently leads you, hand in hand.

He knows if you are tall enough, old enough for the ride you desire.  He knows if it would be too much and make you sick.  He knows if the ride you so desire will only lead to danger.  He knows what He wants to reveal about Himself to you or those around you.  And He knows how fast the ride should be and the right time to get on or get off.

I Have Calmed and Quieted My Soul

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

131 O Lord, my heart is not lifted up;
    my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things
    too great and too marvelous for me.
² But I have calmed and quieted my soul,
    like a weaned child with its mother;
    like a weaned child is my soul within me.

³ O Israel, hope in the Lord
    from this time forth and forevermore.

Lynn Jackson

Thrive Leadership Foundation

Thrivelead.life

I will lift my eyes Bebo Norman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-KKy5UIUpY