(This was previously posted at Manger or Inn? on October 31)
Sometimes it is difficult to understand how God chooses to work. We can easily question how God can use a particular situation, mistake or choice to His glory. This is part of the human condition. We so easily put God in a box and we don’t even realize it. We look at our choice or our situation and assume since we can’t see any good in it, God can’t either. Yet, God repeatedly shows us mercy through our struggles and weakness. This has been particularly true in my own personal journey, but also in our family’s journey as well.
Sometimes it is difficult to understand how God chooses to work. We can easily question how God can use a particular situation, mistake or choice to His glory. This is part of the human condition. We so easily put God in a box and we don’t even realize it. We look at our choice or our situation and assume since we can’t see any good in it, God can’t either. Yet, God repeatedly shows us mercy through our struggles and weakness. This has been particularly true in my own personal journey, but also in our family’s journey as well.
Several years ago my wife and I took our four-year old niece to Disneyland. Near the end of the day we stood on Main Street to watch the parade. It had been a long day and she didn’t accept my offer to sit on my shoulders. She wanted to be independent and stand on her own. As we stood there a little while I noticed her getting frustrated. Upon closer look, I realized that while she could hear the band play and the crowd cheer all she could see was people’s knees and butts. From her perspective, there wasn’t much of a parade. In fact, hearing a lot of loud noises when all you can see are knees and butts pretty much stinks(no pun intended). I knew I had to help her out and change her perspective. Without waiting for her approval, I reached down grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her on top of my shoulders. Now she had the best seat in the crowd. She could see everything. Now when she waved, Cinderella waved back. She was laughing and clapping. While nothing around her changed, her perspective had changed and that made all of the difference. For her, it was as if the entire parade had been made for her, now that she was able to see it more clearly.
Occasionally in our lives all we can see are knees and butts. This is the time that we need some change of perspective. Whether it has been choices I have made or situations in my life, I have been blessed that God has taken the time to lift me out of the crowd so that I can see the parade. God has taken the opportunity to let me know that while I can’t see it, there are good things happening around me. As independent as I want to be, there are times when I need the help of His perspective. There are times when I need to sit on His shoulders in order to enjoy the parade He has orchestrated.
Waiting for our child has been difficult. We have been frustrated and disappointed. All we have seen are knees and butts. However, that is just our perspective. When we sit on God’s shoulders we see that this waiting has given us opportunity to encourage others down this road. We see that opportunities to connect with faith-based organizations in the advocacy of all foster and adoptive children, particularly those labeled with special needs, has been part of God’s divine plan. We also know that God has used this time to mold our hearts and prepare us for our forever family.
My journey to this point has been filled with people, places, situations and challenges that all served in one way or another to inform my head and my heart. Looking back the choices and struggles I dealt with individually as well as those Mandy and I dealt with together, I now understand what St. Paul is trying to convey when he speaks of God’s strength being made perfect in our weakness. I know that my weaknesses and challenges could never have led me to this point without God’s intervention. I know that when all we could see were knees and butts, God has granted us the opportunity to see the parade.
Regardless of how my own journey has led me here, there is something I know beyond question. As I look at my daughter’s’s face, I know that I am where I was meant to be. I know that all the hoops, struggles, challenges, waiting, disappointments, knees and butts (e.g. social service agencies) led me to the exact point I am today. God used them all as markers and signposts on my journey so that I would be right where I am. I know this is the perfect place. In hindsight, had my path been different, had my journey been easier, I might not be where I am sitting beside my wife and my child. That would be a tragedy. There is no place I would rather be.
I know many of your lives have been filled with regret of choices made or frustration with the challenges and obstacles you have had to deal with. My prayer is that God will use those to His glory. My prayer is that when all you can see are knees and butts that God will lift you on His shoulders and give you a glimpse of the parade that He has orchestrated just for you.
Occasionally in our lives all we can see are knees and butts. This is the time that we need some change of perspective. Whether it has been choices I have made or situations in my life, I have been blessed that God has taken the time to lift me out of the crowd so that I can see the parade. God has taken the opportunity to let me know that while I can’t see it, there are good things happening around me. As independent as I want to be, there are times when I need the help of His perspective. There are times when I need to sit on His shoulders in order to enjoy the parade He has orchestrated.
Waiting for our child has been difficult. We have been frustrated and disappointed. All we have seen are knees and butts. However, that is just our perspective. When we sit on God’s shoulders we see that this waiting has given us opportunity to encourage others down this road. We see that opportunities to connect with faith-based organizations in the advocacy of all foster and adoptive children, particularly those labeled with special needs, has been part of God’s divine plan. We also know that God has used this time to mold our hearts and prepare us for our forever family.
My journey to this point has been filled with people, places, situations and challenges that all served in one way or another to inform my head and my heart. Looking back the choices and struggles I dealt with individually as well as those Mandy and I dealt with together, I now understand what St. Paul is trying to convey when he speaks of God’s strength being made perfect in our weakness. I know that my weaknesses and challenges could never have led me to this point without God’s intervention. I know that when all we could see were knees and butts, God has granted us the opportunity to see the parade.
Regardless of how my own journey has led me here, there is something I know beyond question. As I look at my daughter’s’s face, I know that I am where I was meant to be. I know that all the hoops, struggles, challenges, waiting, disappointments, knees and butts (e.g. social service agencies) led me to the exact point I am today. God used them all as markers and signposts on my journey so that I would be right where I am. I know this is the perfect place. In hindsight, had my path been different, had my journey been easier, I might not be where I am sitting beside my wife and my child. That would be a tragedy. There is no place I would rather be.
I know many of your lives have been filled with regret of choices made or frustration with the challenges and obstacles you have had to deal with. My prayer is that God will use those to His glory. My prayer is that when all you can see are knees and butts that God will lift you on His shoulders and give you a glimpse of the parade that He has orchestrated just for you.
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