Oh, Mr. Fix-it Man!

My bathroom faucet was dripping, or rather, running. I didn't want to spend the money on a plumber or bug my husband with one more thing to do, so I turned off the cold water supply and ta da!, no more dripping. I fixed it! Okay, well sort of. It's not much of a fix when you no longer have cold water, but if you turn on the hot water and use it really fast you can make do.

The real solution would take more time. I need a new faucet, which requires shopping for one and installing it. But first I'd like to replace the scratched up sink underneath the faucet which requires more time and money and frankly I'm already feeling ill about the harried Christmas season and its accompanying price tag.

The situation reminds me of my prayer life. A problem appears. Life takes an unexpected turn. A parent gets sick. A child struggles in school. I can't seem to conquer the same problem I've had forever. I don't know what to do. I know it's out of my control so I pray. I'm very respectful, being sure to add "Your will be done," yet my urgency for relief reveals something. I want the problem taken care of. The sooner the better. What I'm really asking for is a quick fix.

Basically I'm saying to God, "Oh, Mr. Fix-it Man!"

Hmmm . . . something about that sounds a little disrespectful, doesn't it?

Yet I catch myself doing it all the time. I've prayed way more times than I care to admit, "God, can't the solution be easy just this one time?"

I want easy.

God wants permanent.

So when I call out, "Oh, Mr. Fix-it Man!" He knows what's best is a long-term job, a fix-for-good, not a band-aid to cover the wound, but actual healing. He's not shutting off the cold water supply. He's doing it right. And doing it right . . . well, it takes time, something God isn't bound by, but we are.

I want relief. Now, please.

God wants transformation. Forever. That doesn't happen overnight. Or even this year or maybe not even ten years down the road. It may take a while, but it lasts. It's better in the long run. Much better. You get hot AND cold water.

So when I get frustrated that God's time frame is not mine, I remember His fixing is permanent. I hold out hope that He is indeed working. I believe what I cannot see.

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

Philippians 1:6

He IS working, friends. He's just doing it right.

Do you get frustrated with how God works? How do you keep the faith?



Photo Credit: geoffeg