~ C.S. Lewis ~
When our son was in first grade, we literally took him kicking and screaming to school for weeks. I'm not kidding. Imagine your worst getting-a-kid-to-school nightmare, then take it times three. We're talking peeling fingers off of door jams, trying to get out of a moving vehicle type of thing. Now lest you think you should call child protective services on us, let me tell you that half an hour after he got there, you would never know there had been such a commotion earlier. The day would go on without incident. There was nothing dangerous at school. He had no bad experiences there. He had lots of friends. He liked his teacher and principal. He was only having some kind of separation anxiety (and trust me, it's not because our house is such an amazing place to be!).
Over the years we have still struggled from time to time, but as he's gotten older, I've been so proud of the way he has pushed himself. He has gone from "I'M NOT GOING TO SCHOOL!!!" to "I don't want to go to school" to "My stomach hurts. I can't go to school" to "I don't feel good, but I know I have to go" to no words at all, only a familiar look in his eye I recognize as "Don't ask. I'm sucking it up and going." I am glad because I know every time he makes himself to do something that may be a little scary, it is one less thing to be scared of next time. He has learned that even though he may feel nervous, once he does it, he will be fine. Having the ability to push through the fear will serve him well. It will allow him to have a myriad of opportunities in his future that he may have missed otherwise by being too afraid at home.
So while I agree with today's quote, I think it is important to remember our past experiences with God empower us to trust Him all the more in our future. My son has learned he can press through the anxiety because he knows how it has worked out for him. We know we can rely on God because our past experience tells us He is trustworthy. Yes, each day is a choice to follow God anew, but knowing how He has been there for us gives us the extra oomph to obey once again. Every time we decide to trust Him we strengthen our faith muscle making it more likely we will choose wisely the next time. Our anxiety is only another chance to rely on God. (Remind me I said that the next time I'm freaking out, okay?!)
Find some other impressions of this quote by visiting our host, Iris, at Sting My Heart.
8 comments:
Enjoyed your post, bless you.
Yes, there is the whole Deuteronomy admonition to remember all that God has done so we rely on Him to do whatever needs to be done today. Blessings...
Yes, I agree with you.
Each day I grow to know Him a little better and trust Him more. And then like a child being taught to walk--the next time God backs up a little further and calls me to come.
A great reminder. Thanks!
"Our anxiety is only another chance to rely on God." I think I will print this and place it where I will see it everyday. Bless you for sharing!
Beautifully put. Unique perspective in looking back, which does provide us the opportunity to see where He has brought us from.
What a perfect reminder to me considering Anna being sick days before her sister gets married on Friday. God is so reliable and it has really been a joy to trust him this week.
Charla :)
This is wonderful Tami. We know we can rely on God because our past experience tells us He is trustworthy. I've found that my faith walk gets easier and easier, because I now have such a long history (30 yrs.) of God's trustworthiness behind me. Like your son and his fear of school, when we are children in the faith, it's much, much harder. I believe that's one reason older women are called to mentor younger women (Titus 2). We've been there, done that... and survived! {{{Hugs}}}
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