God Walks With Me

Have you ever thrown a temper tantrum? Well - I have. Okay maybe I didn't lie down flailing my arms and legs while screaming at the top of my lungs but I certainly gave attitude. It's one thing to have tantrums when you're a kid. It's another altogether when you're a grown up. I'm not proud to admit my composure failures but I have to be honest. Life is hard and downright unpleasant sometimes. Can anyone really blame me for getting a little upset on occasion?

When I go through my tantrums it's because I'm hurt, frustrated, angry, confused, etc. Reality is - I usually feel some sort of combination of those emotions. When my attitude gets into high gear I don't feel like praying and I don't feel like reading my Bible (even though I know deep down that's what I really need to do). I go through sort of a rebellion - not an outright rebellion but more of a passive rebellion. I don't feel like praying because a part of me wonders if my prayers are making a difference. I stop reading because a part of me wonders what the Bible could possibly tell me that will help with my specific situation. Thankfully, I grew up with a good foundation of who God is and what He's about. Even though I don't always understand Him or His ways of doing things, I still know that He loves me and He will never leave me. Life may be difficult at times but I try to keep the following visual as a reminder of His love:

My life is a journey down a path. Fortunately, I am not walking down the path alone. My Lord and Savior accompanies me. Most days are spent in peace. We walk along talking, making note of the splendor around us and taking in the blessings of life. But, as with all journeys, we encounter obstacles, speed bumps, forks, or flat out collisions (whatever description seems to apply at the time). It's on those occasions where my tantrums comes into play. I picture myself crossing my arms, sitting down and stubbornly refusing to move forward. I am not happy and I'm not going to get up! It's my silent protest. Here is the remarkable thing: God doesn't yell at me. He doesn't call me a crybaby and tell me to get up. He doesn't tell me I'm ungrateful and I'm lucky to get as far as I've gotten in life. He doesn't say, "Fine, you stay here. I'm moving on with or without you." No - I believe with all my heart that God waits patiently for me to finish my tantrum so that we may proceed together. He'll wait however long it takes. Yes, He is probably disappointed with my attitude but that doesn't mean He doesn't love me. His hand is always there ready and waiting for me to get over myself. When that point finally arrives (when the hurt and anger have subsided enough for me to see truth again) I look up at my Savior. He holds out His hand and lovingly asks me if I am ready. I say "Yes." and take His outstretched hand. He pulls me up and our journey starts again.

I'm so thankful for God's loving patience. Knowing that God walks with me in my journey through life helps make each step easier to take.