Answers

Psalm 37:4 – Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. (NIV)

I have babysat some of my grandchildren on a regular basis for the past nine years. They are all so different and yet similar in some ways as well. Children will be children. They know Grandma pretty well after a while.

Recently, the little three-year-old asked me if she could do something. Before I had a chance to answer her, she said, "And you always say 'Yes', right, Grandma?" I chuckled. She is mostly right. She just expects that I am going to say "Yes". When I do tell her "No" at times, she accepts it and is very good about it. Then there are times I tell her "Not right now", and she is okay with that as well. She is such a delightful little girl.

I think she has learned very early in life to accept what others tell her. Of course, she is pleased when I say "Yes", but at the same time, she is okay with it if I tell her "No" or "Wait for a while". She puts me to shame in those areas at times. I am not so understanding and accepting of others' choices.

Then there is the eternal picture to look at as well. Often when we pray and ask God for something, we expect Him to say "Yes, here it is, right in your lap like you wanted." That does happen. God loves to give us the desires of our hearts. Then there are other times, when God says "No" to us, that we get impatient or even angry. We think we know what is best for us, but we have to learn to trust that He alone knows what is best. Sometimes though, the answer is "Just wait for a while". We don't easily accept that either. We live in an instant world — instant potatoes, instant heat in a microwave, instant light at the flick of a switch — the list could go on and on. God knows what is best for us and when it is best for us. We don't have that eternal sight, so our tendency is to be angry at God when He doesn't give us what we want when we want it. Let's learn to wait patiently for the Lord's best in our lives.

Psalm 37:7 – Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him. (NIV)

Prayer: Lord Jesus, it is so hard to wait. It is so hard to be still before You. It is so hard to accept Your answers to our prayers when they don't coincide with what we want. You tell us in Your Word to delight ourselves in You and You will give us the desires of our hearts. Sometimes those desires aren't the best thing for us, though, and You refuse to give them to us. Help us to be still and wait before You, especially during those times. Thank You for Your patience with us. We love You. Amen.

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