The music was nice, not so nice, however, that early in the morning. Well before the crack of dawn the melodious notes pried open eyelids. Time to get up! the song screeched in my ear.
“Up” I went, dropping my daughter at her early morning volleyball practice. The boys were up as well, but were spared thirty more minutes of freedom before the prison doors of school welcomed them. (They call it prison, I call it their freedom. It’s all in the eye of the beholder, I suppose.) My gang of young testosterone and I had 30 minutes to bust before the school’s doors burst open, so why not exert it on a few machines at the YMCA?
But the stationary bike didn’t get the memo of the day’s short workout.
“Pedal faster,” it barked as though it were my personal trainer.
But I don’t want to pedal faster. It’s not the plan. I’m done for the day.
Ignoring its bark, knowing it had no bite, my leg swung over the center piece in a dismount. As I pushed off the machine, a thought occurred to me: Life is like that.
Various voices will chime the way, thinking they know best. But those voices don’t always know the plan, God’s plan.
There are voices telling us to do “this” and “that”. Some are well-meaning, like family voices or church voices. But they’re not always God voices. Sometimes the voice of God flies in the face of what others think is right, even “righteous”.
At times, I struggle with this concerning my children. I charge in, barking orders like a know-it-all stationary bike. I simply want the best for them.
Pedal faster! Go right here, down this path, child.
After all, the righteous path is in front of us. I’m the loving mother guiding them, shoving them in reality, along God’s path. I assure myself and attempt to convince them I know best.
But my “know it best” and God’s plans aren’t always the same. Sometimes my mouth runs ahead without asking God.
This is our cue to relinquish control and sprint to the throne of God, falling on our faces and worshipping as His will is done in the life of our loved one.
Isn’t God greater? Doesn’t He know the plans for their life? This is our opportunity to pray, our opportunity to lean not on our own understanding, expectations, or hopes.
It’s our opportunity to trust God.
Gomer, she’s a gal of God’s “right”, a “right” that would fly in the face of any church-going, raising-a-healthy-boy mama.
If Hosea were my son, I’d be guilty of chiming, “Pedal faster! Get away from that gal.”
Good sense says flee like a bicycle racer from the adulteress. Race far, far away from Gomer, son! I would even quote a verse or two to support the argument. That’s godly, right?
Our Daddy, in His wisdom, didn’t utter the word flee. He said draw near.
“…Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife…” Hosea 1:2 NIV ’84
Not once, but twice God called Hosea to pull Gomer into his husbandly embrace.
Would I have entrusted my son’s path with God’s seemingly messy will? Or would I have kept him spinning away on a stationary bike, going nowhere fast?
Pedal faster…
As we step into a new school year, changes in life, or simply everyday the same, here’s a challenge:
How about a different cry this time? Instead of chiming what we think is best, cry to God today: “Your will for my loved one, Lord.”
As we charge each other to remain in the vine, under the care and shade of the Gardener, how about a “Pedal God!” versus “Pedal faster…”? How about mamas and girls, women and daughters on their knees clinging with all life’s might to our Daddy, searching and desiring only His will for those we hold close in our heart?
Yes, even for those we hope to hold tightly within our grip. God has plans for them. And those plans might not match ours. But they are His best and keep eternity central.
Are you willing to release them, the control – their future?
That’s where I want to be….releasing control…watching God wow.
It’s a new season.
“Pedal faster God.”
A prayer for you to personalize~
Gracious God, You know the plans you have me. They are good plans. You also know the plans you have for _________. They are the branches and you are the vine. Father show me how to pray for them, what to speak to them, encouraging them to stay central in your will. Lord, what does that look like? Form the words of my prayers to cover them as a friend indeed. I release _________ and the course of their life to you, Holy Spirit. Counsel them in wisdom. And counsel me as well as I release control. In your holy name, Jesus, amen.
Linking with Jesus encouragers around the world here: Intentional Tuesday, Purposeful Faith, Holly Barrett, Jennifer Dukes Lee, Holley Gerth, Suzie Eller, Dance with Jesus, and Counting My Blessings.
More For You…
~ Do you want to grow deeper and stronger in your faith?
Knowing God’s Word is imperative. It’s not another “check” on the list of to-do’s, His Word is oxygen for your spiritual breath. Breath in deeply, absorb His very words in your heart, my friend, and grow, grow, grow. You can find Scriptures and more about #ScriptureBank2015 (our Scripture memory program) here. You’ll find other links for “how to’s”, suggestions, and ideas as well.
We Have a Winner!
We have a winner of Danise Jurado’s Fulfilled: Learning to Live the Life God Promised. It’s “Leslie”, the third comment on last week’s post. If you’re Leslie, please contact me with at Kristi@KristiWoods.net with your mailing address by Sept. 15 so I can skip on down to the post office with a copy of this book for you. Yay! If I don’t hear from you by Sept. 15, however, I will redraw a new winner. Thank you!
Oh my word Kristi, I SO needed this today! I cannot tell you how much I’ve caught myself fretting lately about a ‘certain person’s’ future. This is exactly the awakening I needed to let God have control. I can do my best to guide in a Godly way, but I cannot control the outcome. Have a blessed day:)
Thanking God for His faithfulness, Kristine.
I spent a lot of time a few years ago, as my oldest son was making life choices, learning the very lesson that you describe. We love our kids so much, and it’s excruciating to see them make choices we don’t understand, but part of loving my boys (I am learning — I hope) is trusting God to guide them, trusting their relationship with God and their growing sensitivity to His Spirit. You’ve said all this so well in your post.
Michele, you’ve gone before many of us. You’ve walked the path. Praise God for His peace in you. Thank you for your kind words as well. Praise His Almighty name.
These words were so needed and seem to be a theme for my day as I have read other posts with similar messages. I know too well about those other voices that are always shouting louder trying to gain our attention. We need to allow God’s voice to be the loudest and most clear voice in our lives. He is the one to whom we should turn for all and at the beginning of a school year this is a good reminder to give it all to God in prayer. So glad to be visiting you from #RaRalinkup
Hi Mary. God must be up to something. Your comment about this being a theme is threaded through a few of the comments. Go God, go!
I am right there with you Kristi. Praying my heart out, and speaking words of wisdom, trying to keep my children from the “Gomers” of the world. But what if? Yes, God is in control, perfect control. Learning to rest in that. Thanks for your words today. They were a blessing:)
Learning to rest…yes. I’m learning right alongside you, Lisa.
“Pedal God” ~ Amen. <3
Amen.
Oh Kristi, what a truth filled post here, and so needed. I’ve been hearing a lot of those voices lately. Some of them, admittedly, are my own. I’m so grateful for the voice of TRUTH which goes above all of them if we’ll just sit down to listen. His grace and mercy are sufficient. Love you and your heart, friend. xoxo
Amen Abby ~ His grace and mercy are all we need. xo
Kristi ~ sometimes I have to picture myself raising my hands, releasing a person, a situation, or wound I’d love to just fix.
And sometimes I just raise my hands and say outloud, ‘here you are, Lord. They’re yours anyway.’
It frees me up to simply love. And not fix, control or grasp.
I’m grateful …
Linda ~ I LOVE that picture. Yes. “Here, Lord….”
Wow, we must be on the same parenting wavelength today, Kristi! (see the post on my blog SpringSight.net for reference) That said, yours is just what I needed to hear…the wisdom from God, the advice to let go a little and TRUST Him. Thank you for your post. I’m so glad I ran across this on #TestimonyTuesday!
Amen, Linda. God has a thread for many of us with this.
Kristi- Whoa. Big time. Stopped my pedaling in my tracks. : ) Thank you for these words. I’m not even a Mom yet and this is such an important lesson to implement in my life with my loved ones. Thank you for boldly proclaiming His Word!
Our God is a bold god. 🙂 Thanks for stopping in, Bethany, and for your encouraging words.
Such wisdom found in your words, Kristi … “Various voices will chime the way, thinking they know best. But those voices don’t always know the plan, God’s plan.” I pray I hear God’s voice loudest. May His truth drown out the voices that sound convincing and all-knowing so I can hear the All Knowing. Thank you, Kristi, for sharing your heart at #IntentionalTuesday on Intentionally Pursuing and reminding me to be attentive to hear God’s voice. : )
I’m with you, Crystal, praying that we hear God’s voice loudest.
mmmm…so good. Your will for my loved one, God. Amen!
Amen!
Now how did you know I have been struggling with all the “should dos” in my life lately? Especially, my writing life. Sigh. Thank you for your words that helped my heart today. Love you friend!
Praise God, Carmen. Love you too, girl!
Such perfect and timely words, Kristi! Thank you for sharing! Releasing control the One who knows infinitely more than I. #livefreeThursday
Hi Crystal! Good to “see” you. Oh, the releasing…. Good stuff.
Kristi, this is SO good and timely. Every one of us need to remember these words.
Amen.
So much goodness! I definitely wrestle with this, especially in my marriage. It’s been hard to realize that as awesome as I think I am, I don’t always know what’s best for my husband or for us. 🙂 Love this challenge to remember who we are and who God is in the midst of our trying to control and change things! Absolutely beautiful!
How poignant. My adult daughter has made and is still making not so great choices and so often, I have to bite my tongue in her presence and release it in God’s. He knows the plan He has for her–what a wonderful prayer. I prayed it for her. It’s hard to let go of what we “know” is best and release it to God. But it’s the only way any of really learn-by making mistakes.