Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:9-11
Have you ever received a gift that you simply didn't know what to do with? Or maybe it wasn't what you had hoped for. You had your Christmas wish list, and frankly, what was under the tree didn't match what was on paper. We all have received gifts we didn't want or didn't know what to do with. There are times when we feel that even God isn't giving us what we want. We feel that somehow He misunderstood our needs, our wants and desires.
The fact is that sometimes what God gives feels more like stones and snakes...items that were never on our wish list. Over the past few years, I have received more than my share of "stones from God". Painful stones in the form of damaged relationships. They were "gifts" that I felt should never be given. Surely God was mistaken. Didn't He realize?
It has been a slow journey of trying to understand why He would give such unlikely gifts...
In the end, God does NOT give stones. It may have looked ugly. It may have hurt something fierce. But looks are deceiving and pain can be a pathway to peace. What I thought were stones were...
freedom
peace
a place of safety
favor bestowed on my sons
love
a position of honor
answers to my prayers
So the next time you think you have been handed a gift from God that resembles a stone or a snake...hold on. The gift may not be what you think it is.
He knows only one thing:
how to give good gifts.
2 comments:
Your words speak life into a difficult situation I find myself in.......not one I asked for, anticipated or even saw on the far-off horizon. In the midst of my questioning God about what is happening, and the hurt inflicted by other believers, either knowingly or by mistake, thank you for allowing Him to speak hope through your words today I am especially going to hold onto "In the end, God does NOT give stones. It may have looked ugly. It may have hurt something fierce. But looks are deceiving and pain can be a pathway to peace"
Linda- While I don't know you, my heart hurts for you! I know what it is like to be in a difficult place and be hurt by other believers. Please know that I am praying for you!
Post a Comment