This past week, we have experienced many ups and downs at our house. We have had a nice mix of the flu and some colds thrown in for good measure. We have also been attempting to get an infant to sleep through the night, as his normal routine is to wake up every 2-3 hours and take a few sips from the bottle, or more recently, just to be comforted and then fall back asleep. Well, this was not good for any of us, so we have been letting him work through this and only feeding and comforting him sparingly or when he is sick. As most parents would attest, letting a child cry themselves back to sleep is not an easy thing to do, but in the long run, it is best for everyone involved. In the morning, he realizes we are still there to care for him, but not at his every whim.
The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry. Psalm 34:15
Have you ever wondered whether or not God hears your cries for help? Or if he does, why he seems to respond more quickly to some concerns and others seem to go on without much of a reply? Is God paying attention to us at times, and oblivious at others, or does he truly hear us and attend to what is best for us? We can be a fairly selfish sort at times, actually, almost all the time. If our needs are not met immediately, we may feel like we are being ignored and therefore are not important. In fact, in our society of immediate gratification, often the thing we need most is something to make us wait to remind us that we are not the center of the universe.
If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:11
The next time you cry out to God when you are in a pinch, or when he puts a burden on your heart for someone or a situation that seems difficult to resolve, know that he hears you. Whether or not you receive an immediate answer does not determine his level of care for your well-being. His greater concern is for your heart to become more like his…that you would conform more and more to his likeness. We come to see this better as we spend more time in prayer and more time in his word. The longer we are away from these practices, the more quickly we forget. We seem to need frequent reminders.
The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. Psalm 103:19
Sometimes, God lets you struggle through the night to realize that he is there to pick you up in the morning, and heard each of your cries along the way. Your heavenly Father wants to give you good things, even if you do not always agree on what is actually good for you. May you continue to feel loved by your Heavenly Father as he allows us to grow all the while sustaining us with his Spirit. May you take comfort knowing he is in charge of you, of others, of everything.
Strength and Comfort in Christ,
Clark
