Cleaning Up the Mess with God’s Help
She sat alone in her room with silent tears streaming down her pink cheeks for twenty minutes before I noticed the quiet. I peeked through the cracked door. She was a pitiful lump on the floor.
I softly asked, “Why are you sitting there?”
“I want to obey you.” She said, “But it’s such a big mess. I don’t know how to clean my room. I’m sorry Mommy.”
My five-year-old beauty was completely overwhelmed. Cleaning her room isn’t that big of a deal . . . to me. I mean, it’s just putting stuff in its appropriate place. But to her, it’s a task she’s not yet equipped to accomplish alone.
She was frustrated, disappointed in herself. Ultimately, she didn’t even know where to begin. Defeated.
I sat down next to her. “I will help you. I’m going to tell you how to clean your room and you do what I say. Okay? We can do this together.”
Step by step we got it all done peacefully. Successfully. Together. Without additional tears.
Later that evening when previewing our credit card statement, I noticed my words echoing hers. “I don’t know how to clean this mess. Fixing this problem overwhelms me.”
Then again, the next day when my homeschooling efforts were severely lacking. “Lord, how in the world do I teach these children? I am not equipped to accomplish this alone.”
And then again when my girlfriend confessed, “I have made a mess of this marriage. Our issues are bigger than me. It’s hopeless.”
There are times we find ourselves sitting alone with the mess of life without any clear direction on how to move forward. Defeated.
Thankfully, we serve a heavenly Father who not only has the answers and direction we seek, but He also has the willingness to get down in the chaos with us and help clean it up.
He’s a patient parent waiting for His children to call for help. There is no need to remain overwhelmed with tears running down our cheeks. He has all the answers and know-how. All the repairs. All the reconciliation. All the redemption.
He eagerly says, “I’m going to tell you how to fix this and you do what I say. Okay? We can do this together.”
2 Corinthians 12:9
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Blessings to you and yours,
Angelene www.unqualifiedmom.com
