- I forgot my homework.
- My mama or grandma didn't know how to do my homework.
- I forgot my ________ at home.
- I left my book / tablet at school.
- I didn't know we had homework even though you wrote it on the board and I copied it into my assignment planner.
And my all time favorite: We had to go somewhere (as if they couldn't carry their books along for the ride to Aunt Somebody's house)
Here I am trying to prepare them for the state test that will make or break their lives for the next year, and they are a little perturbed that I am so stressed over their performance.
Plus it did not help that as of Tuesday morning, Nay walked out to a flat tire just before she was about to leave for school, which meant I had to drive her to school. This ticked us both off because I hate having to get ready earlier (not that I wake up any differently) and she hates to be seen as the senior who is leaping from the back seat of her mom's car. Needless to say when I got home it was too cold and too late to change the flat so she needed another ride today but I had bus duty, and after school I had more duty and errands so the tire is still on a flat. Why is it that when everything is going wrong it all goes wrong at the same time?
I forgot to point out that she couldn't figure out why she couldn't just drive my truck even though she never drove it before and thought it would be great to experiment with how awkward it probably is. Don't get me wrong, I trust her, and even when I don't, I trust God. But somehow doubt got the best of me and I figured it was better and wiser to inconvenience my schedule than to potentially need my insurance agent. Now that I have a moment to reflect, where was my faith?
I mean it's not that I was worried about material things or even that I think she is a poor driver, but I must admit that I lacked the confidence that things would go smoothly, after all I had already seen the domino effect that one wrong thing had catapulted into my week. It had to be a lapse in faith, I am sure.
Have you had a point in your life when your faith did not measure up to your usual level of heavenly expectation? Let's admit it; sometimes life bombards us with minor obstacles okay even major problems, and we let our faith fly out the window. We hit the panic button and begin to wonder why we are failing or how could this happen to us. We allow the enemy to press us into thinking that we must have done something wrong because bad things shouldn't happen to us especially since we are God's kids. Shouldn't He have seen this coming and prevented it or at least warned us? The answer is absolutely NO! God is aware of our circumstances. He knows that we are facing a time of struggle or that we don't see a way that we can work things out. Just like the children of Israel in the wilderness, we question God's ability, plan, and purpose. The Israelites loved God and His wisdom when the Red Sea swallowed their enemies the second they were attacked, but when they had to totally trust Him to provide for them in the wilderness, their faith begin to wane. They even assaulted Moses' character and questioned if he had brought them there to die. I must admit even I wonder at times where is God in the circumstances of life or has He changed His mind and left me to die. Surprisingly enough, the answer is YES! He wants me to die every time I face a problem. God wants our flesh and independence to die, and our spirit and faith in Him to live. Remember when we serve God we give Him total access to live through us. God does not panic, and He never frets when things seem impossible. He waits for our faith to come alive, and then He manifests the provision that was always there waiting for us to lean on Him.
Philippians 4:6 tells us "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;"
This message is easy and clear. You were not made to worry nor were you created to solve any problems that the enemy sends your way. You were made to pray in faith and praise God for the answer before you even ask Him to handle your life. So, let's face it, our task is simple. Let go! Let God. Make a list of everything that has come at you in 2009. I mean it write it down. Then tear it up and lay hands on it and pray. This may seem silly but it works. You are letting go of every vain imagination (thought) that has risen against your mind and faith and against the plan that God has for you. Then start to thank Him. I mean radically, so your neighbors think you are crazy, kind of praise. And watch God change things. I don't mean sit and count the minutes or baby-sit the situation by reminding God that even though you know He said it is finished you still see remnants of it. Forget it and go bless somebody and watch Him work in your life. This is the remedy to bouts of faithlessness. Go ahead, I dare you. Reactivate your faith!
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