Trust

For the past week, Hudson has been asking for this little blue dog at the Dollar Store that says "Hug Me!"  It is cute.  It is only $5.  However, he does not need it.  At all.  He has at a minimum probably 30 stuffed animals that he rarely plays with. 

I've said, "no" plain and simple.  I have tried to explain his surplus of stuffed animals.  I've ignored his pleas.  I've said, "no" sweetly. I've empathized with his pain and suffering ::insert sarcasm::.  Nothing. Nothing will stop his whining.

Valentine's Day is in 2 days. I have Hudson a present - 3 small things to be exact. Things I know he will enjoy.  Today I asked him if he trusted me.  "Yes, Mama" was the reply.  "Then you need to trust me that I know you don't need that stuffed animal."  "Ok, Mama" he said.  Success! Until literally 10 seconds later when he is again begging for that stuffed animal.

Sigh.

Isn't that how we are with God?  We beg, plead, whine, and attempt to bribe Him for the things we want.  Things we are convinced we need.  Perhaps we do need them - maybe they would be beneficial. But God says no and/or not now.  God knows what He has for us is better, more beneficial, than what we are striving for yet we strive anyway.  It's a trust issue.

1 Samuel 8, Israel asked for a king.  They didn't need a king - God was their leader.  But they wanted one.  Every other country had a king.  They asked, begged, and pleaded.  So God gave them what they wanted - King Saul and it was a hot mess. 2 Corinthians 12, Paul begged and pleaded for God to remove his thorn (whatever that was, but I doubt it was Wham!) and God said, no - repeatedly.  Paul learned to trust Him.  The Bible is full of examples of people wanting something: a spouse, a baby, a position of authority, a healing - some get it, some don't. Some learn to trust Him, some don't.  If I am honest, I am no different. I ask, beg, and plead for things that God knows I don't need.  I look back at times when God grants that desire to teach me a lesson and times when he hasn't.

I'm not sure if Hudson will get that stuffed animal or not - I'm not sure which is the bigger lesson. I may allow him to buy it after Valentine's day for half the price - haha! But I am thankful for a God who does know and pray that I learn to trust Him more and that Hudson does, too.

“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
- C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory