I am learning so much as a dad—especially in regards to my relationship with the Lord. The other night something stood out to me in a huge way.
I had just changed Charisse’s diaper and was taking her to her room to place her in her crib…and then, out of nowhere, she just looked at me and smiled.
MY HEART MELTED! AND…I spent the next five minutes trying to get her to smile again. (WOW…we do really stupid things to try to make a kid smile…a baby can lower the IQ in the room 50 points!!!)
Here’s the deal—I want my child to smile, I want her to be happy…and I am willing to do just about anything to bring joy into her life.
I do understand that there will be times she does not have joy because of me. I will have to enforce rules, establish curfews and limit the amount of money she can spend on shoes. (She is a girl!) BUT…in doing those things I am STILL trying to bring her joy because I want what is best for her in the long term…and there are times when she probably won’t be able to see that.
Nonetheless—I want her happy. Whether she sees it or not—I am cheering for her…I want her to thrive and succeed in life—always.
NOW—with me be an imperfect father…and God being the perfect Father…how much more does He want joy and happiness for all of us? (Matthew 7:11)
“But Perry,” some might say, “if God wants me to be so happy then why am I so miserable?’ Great question!
Let me say this—speaking from personal experience—the most miserable times I have ever had to endure in life were times when I was living in direct opposition to what the Lord wanted for me! Seriously, I wanted something that He didn’t want…it would not have brought me long term joy and He knew it…and so He just would not let me be happy! (Proverbs 19:21)
BUT…in reading Scripture and seeing how God works and moves and how Scripture says that He is our Father…WOW…WHAT FATHER DOESN’T WANT HIS KID TO BE FULL OF JOY!
God is not the cosmic cop wanting to arrest us for doing wrong, nor is He a cosmic killjoy with a huge “To Do Not Do” list—NO—He is a loving Father who wants the absolute best for us all. At times we will experience that—and at times we will not. AND WHEN those times come about I believe we should all do a gut check and ask, “Am I living in complete obedience in the area of my life that is most miserable?”
Keep in mind that sometimes God must say “no” or “stop it” in order to protect our joy—a loving father doesn’t want anything to come into his child’s life that will cause long term damage.
I want my little girl to be happy! When she smiles—I smile! And, if she will be obedient and listen to me all through life—she will bring me much joy. Scripture says in Psalm 37:4 that if we will delight ourselves in the Lord that He will give us the desires of our heart—BECAUSE—those desires will be pure and right in His sight. As long as Charisse is doing what is right…there is NOTHING I will not do for her because she’s my child.
God doesn’t want you to be miserable! If you ARE miserable then stop and ask yourself, “It is possible that I am being disobedient in some area?” I know for me God uses misery to get my attention and reveal stuff to me…and when I listen to Him and obey His ways…I always come out of it.