Follow the Leader

I originally wrote this a year ago and couldn't believe it is exactly what I needed to read today...

Recently I was pulling a late night when my 6 year old daughter Alivia woke up.

She saw I was still up so she stumbled over and sat on my lap. As I held her in my arms hoping to get her back to sleep, I started singing softly to her.

Eyes closed, head against my chest, she whispered, "Please stop."

I stopped singing the words and started to hum the song instead.

"Mom, please."

Not being offended by her midnight rudeness, I kept quiet as my leg began to softly bounce.

As she slid herself off my lap, I could tell she was clearly irritated with my efforts to help her return to dream land.

She looked at me and with a hint of disgust said, "You're still singing in your head!"

Needless to say, she tucked herself back into bed.

I wonder if God also gets that way with me sometimes?

You know, just plain irritated with me when I choose to have selective hearing.

There are times when I know God has asked me not to do something, but I think I need it in my life. So, in order to keep the forbidden in close range, I just change the way I do it, hoping my lack of obedience will go unnoticed.

Instead of singing, I hum and instead of humming I bounce.

It's as if no matter what God asks me to change I still keep the rhythm of disobedience going inside of me instead of just changing my tune to what the Master Musician wants for my life.

I really need to trust in the Lord to direct my paths even if it means to stop doing something that He knows isn't good for me. I may not agree with Him, but I need to trust Him enough to surrender whatever He wants given up.

I need to know that He doesn't even have to give me this big explanation of why it's not good for me. That's where my faith steps in.

When my husband asks our kids to not do something and they challenge him with the question "Why?" his authoritative answer is simply "Because I said so."

Think I've heard the same answer from my heavenly Father a time or two. Or three...

Funny how daily life is just so much better when I don't try to hum when He's asked me not to sing.

He knows my thoughts, so even though my mouth isn't moving if I choose to still sing in my head I haven't fooled Him. Just means that I'm being disobedient of what He has asked of me.

I want a life completely surrendered to Jesus even if that means giving up something that I want or think I need.When my heart is obedient to my what my Savior asks of me I am just beyond amazed at what He replaces my surrendered areas with.

Lord, I thank You for using someone like my irritated, sleepy-headed daughter in the middle of the night to teach me to just follow the Leader with whole hearted trust.I want to know the plans that You have for my life Lord.

~Many Blessings~