With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord! Psalm 119:145
I witnessed a small child’s angst in a very public place. We all have at one time or another, right? Maybe with our own kids.
Something in this child, maybe hunger or tiredness or frustration, triggered it to stomp its tiny foot, sit down in the middle of the aisle and scream “NO!” The ear-piercing tears began. No coxing would work. Attempts to get the child up only maybe it scream louder. The Mom knelt down and waited to get a word in edgewise. She focused solely on her child, not the reactions of others around her. She let her little one scream it out, then as the sobs subsided, she took control back.
I admit it. Lately I have been prone to spiritual two-year old tantrums. Try as I might to squelch them, they bubble up inside of me. It is one of those “Why does it have to be this way?” and “Why does it have to be so hard?” times in several areas of my life.
But I have learned, once again, that God doesn’t ignore my silent to the rest of the world tantrums that scream so loud deep inside me. He whispers through them into my heart. He has brought people to me with words of conviction, not patronizing platitudes. He has opened Scripture to my mind, like this one today. Like that mother, He stays focused on me, waiting for me to calm down and take a breath so He can get a word in edgewise and take control again.
God does answer us in the way He knows we need. We just may not always be listening because we are so caught up in the moment of being us. Sometimes, tantrums almost seem comfortable, as non-productive as they are. They are excuses for not moving forward, yet they are also a means for not falling backwards. We plop ourselves down, arms crossed and refuse to move another step, just like that toddler exhibiting newly found self will.
Thank you Father, for bringing Your Word to life for me, words that pick me up, dry my tears and encourage me to move forward again, holding onto Daddy’s hand. Amen.
Let my cry come before you, O Lord;
give me understanding according to your word!
Let my plea come before you;
deliver me according to your word. (vv 169-170)
