My son is going through a rough patch and I told him to pray and his reply to me was, "What has God done for me lately?" I was taken back and a bit upset with him, then I thought about a time that I felt like he did.
I told him that God doesn't always give us what we want but that He does have a plan in mind for us. Our prayers are not always answered in the way that we would like them to be.
It is very easy to forget to look at the positive things that we have in our lives. My son has his health, a beautiful wife that loves him and many other blessings but he chose to see all the negative things happening in his life and wants to know why these things are happening.
Back in the 80's I had a dark period in my life too. I am glad that my older children are too young to remember and my younger children weren't born yet. I was upset with things that were happening in my life too, just like he is now. I got angry, and I am ashamed to say, felt the same way that he feels. So my first instinct of being upset with my son for feeling that way was, in fact, a bit hypocritical.
I think it is a part of our growing toward God. Sometimes we see things with blinders on and then later the whole picture is revealed. I pray that my son will see this too.
We all grow in our faith journey toward God and we find it at different levels and epiphanies in our life.
My prayer today is for people that are lost to find their way to God again or for the first time.
Dear Lord,
Show mercy to us that doubt, love us that fail, and show us the path to your grace! Amen.
