by Danae Gail
I read a verse from the Bible this past Sunday that I have not been able to get out of my head.
“… because a great door for effective work has been opened to me, and there are many who oppose me.”
1 Corinthians 16:9. (NIV)
I know that when God is calling me to do something, it will not always be easy or without resistance. We see that throughout the Bible. Jesus, the apostles, and many others were beaten, put in prison, and killed for being faithful to the work God had called them to do.
Yesterday and today, I found myself evaluating recent decisions. Have I been ignoring some things that God has told me to do because I was afraid someone would oppose me? Or because it would be too uncomfortable for me to do or say? Have I justified not doing what I was called to do by thinking, “If God really wanted me to do this, it would be easy, and since it is hard I must not be meant to do it?” I groaned the answer aloud, “Yes, yes, yes I have.”
Our six-year-old son, David, is adventurous, wild, and full of energy. However, he is scared to ride his bike. At one time he loved riding it, but two summers ago he fell one too many times, and now he is terrified. Paul and I keep putting him back on his bicycle, all buffered with pads and a helmet, but he fights us really hard. When he does finally begin to ride, he cries and screams the whole time because he is afraid of falling and getting hurt. We know that he will probably fall and get hurt a little, but in the end he will be able to ride his bike and have fun. We tell him that we are right next to him the whole time, to guide him, to walk him through it, and to pick him up if he gets hurt. Yes, there will be some pain and tears, but we are right there, helping and guiding him the whole time. To us, this seems like a simple, easy problem. We are the big, strong adults.
David knows that in the end riding his bike will be awesome, but he can’t get past the momentary fear, pain, and discomfort. I think this is how God sees us sometimes. I think He is looking at us saying, “Yes, this is hard but I am here guiding you the whole time. This seems like a huge problem to you, but I am much bigger than all of this and I have a great plan if you will only take this step of faith. Even when you get hurt, I am guiding you, teaching you, and have never left you. I’ve got this!”
That is not a quote from the Bible, and I’m not trying to put words in God’s mouth, but I often see my relationship with Him paralleled in the relationships I have with my children. I am praying for the Lord to give me strength, wisdom, and guidance as I encounter situations where He has called me to be—especially those that take me out of my comfort zone.
“’Do you now believe?’ Jesus replied. ‘A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me. I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.’”
John 16: 31-33 (NIV)
© Danae Gail. All rights reserved. Printed with permission of author. Scripture taken from Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Images from Pinterest.
