Coddling

I am currently reading Of Mess and Moxie by Jen Hatmaker. This woman speaks to my soul on so many levels. The other day I was reading her book when I came across these two sentences: “God never coddles me when I want Him to. It’s infuriating (pg 155)”. I read this, and laughed out loud. How true are her words to my relationship with God.

I bring God my complaints and my heartaches. I tell God all the ways that I have been hurt and wronged. I let God know all the bitter disappoints I face on a daily basis, and then I wait. I wait for him to reach down, pull me into his arms, pet my hair, and then tell me I am his perfect child and everyone else is wrong. Well let me tell you, this has yet to happen.

Now not to say that God does not comfort me because he does. God is the ultimate comforter, and turning to him with your complaints, anger, sadness, and disappointments is always a rewarding choice. Sometimes though I just want to be coddled, but God always responds back in truth. The truth can be hard to hear.

While all I want to do is lick my wounds in the corner, I can hear God saying, “Michelle, you should take great joy in the trials of your life, for I am making you strong through them.”

Which my response is usually, “God, why do I have to be so strong? Can’t you see I am emotionally wounded?”

Then God, seeing through my stubbornness responds, “My beloved, don’t you know that after all your enduring patience through testing and temptation you will be rewarded the crown of life that I have promised you? It is time to get back up, and continue to run your race.” (James 1:1-13)

With that, me grumbling all the way, the Lord picks me back up, dusts me off, and leads my way to the next adventure.

Sometimes all I want is to be coddled, and felt sorry for, but God knows that is not what I really need. What I really need is someone who will see through my bitchiness (I really don’t know a better word for it), pick me up, dust me off, love me despite myself, and then send me on to my next adventure as I head toward the Kingdom.

God provides. He provides the strength needed to keep going. He provides the love required to feel whole. He provides for the good of his children in the best way that he sees fit in any given situation: with hard truth and incredible love.