Where are you today? Spiritually, I mean. Are you on an upswing, or headed downhill? Do you see spiritual progress in your life, or does it seem futile and empty? Are things going your way, or does it seem like you take one step forward and two steps backward? I want you to know that wherever you are, God takes you right at that point.
I was reading 2 Corinthians chapter 5, and verse 9 stopped me cold. It says, "So we make it our goal to please God..." I thought to myself, Lord, my desire is truly to please You. Yet I recognize that so much in me is not at this time pleasing to You. I can see some progress, but there's still so much to do in order to be really pleasing to You.
At first the thought just overwhelmed me and discouraged me, as I realized anew how far from the goal I am. When will I ever please God in all my ways? At best my motives are tinged with selfishness and pride. In spite of all I know, I do not always practice it consistently. I truly had a mini panic-attack, just thinking about where I was in my spiritual life versus where I should be and wanted to be.
But the comforting presence of the Holy Spirit began to speak to my spirit. He brought to my mind the relationship that a child has with a parent. How do we relate to our children? If they are growing and progressing as they should be even though they are not yet totally mature, even though we see areas that need improvement, even though we know they have many lessons yet to learn, we can still say, "I delight in my child." We see their potential, and we love them for who they are right where they are.
God is our heavenly Father and He can delight in us, though we're still incomplete, as long as we are growing and becoming. As long as we are open to His voice, as long as we seek His face.
Many people have the mistaken idea that they've got to get themselves all fixed up and cleaned up before they are acceptable to God. Well, my good news to you today is that God takes you right where you are. You'll never be able to make yourself acceptable to God; He'll do that for you, when you simply come to Him without any pretense just as you are.My friend told me about her experience with her two-year-old granddaughter, which is a wonderful illustration of this truth.
Grandmother Nonnie was playing hide and seek with Dana, which was a new game she had just learned. Nonnie stayed outside while Dana went inside to hide. After a few minutes, she went looking for her. And there was Dana, with her head stuck under the sofa and her little rear end sticking straight out for everyone to see. But as far as Dana was concerned, she was hidden because she couldn't see Nonnie, so she figured Nonnie couldn't see her. She was playing hide and seek to the best of her ability, though of course it wasn't exactly effective.
Of course, to a grandmother's heart, it was delightful and joyous to see this little one performing to her limits, enjoying her new game, though she still had lots to learn about playing hide and seek. But at two years old, in her stage of development, she performed delightfully and as far as Nonnie was concerned, she performed perfectly.
Now, if grandmother did not have the heart to understand a two-year-old, she might have sat down with Dana and discussed the game of hide and seek. "Dana, my dear, let me explain to you the purpose of this game. You did not play it correctly and in order for us to keep playing hide and seek, dear, you'll have to get it right. Understand?"
What grandmother would do that to her granddaughter? No, we delight in them at their various stages and adjust ourselves to meet their needs. Neither did Nonnie say to Dana, "Please observe how the six year olds play hide and seek, Dana, and do it like they do." We don't ask a two-year-old to live up to the expectations of a six year old. We don't compare. We accept and love.
Dear friends, isn't it marvelous to know that our God takes us right where we are. I can't tell you how often I go back to Him, feeling just like a little child, apologizing for the mess I've made in one area or another, and thanking Him that He continues to take me where I am. What great relief and freedom this is for us to know.
I want to encourage you today to know that our Heavenly Father accepts us as children in a growing process, and He takes us right where we are. Let that knowledge encourage you, and bask in the love which He gives to you so freely and unconditionally.Transcript, The Christian Working Woman
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