7-31-11 “He Did Deliver Me From Bondage” p. 43, day 4

7-31-11 “He Did Deliver Me From Bondage”  p. 43, day 4

  Mosiah 3:19

I picture the child in this scripture about Allie’s age.  She is now 6 and has a mild temperament.  There are occasions when she gets stubborn, but it is easily overcome as I tell her “Don’t smile!”  If I remember to bring in laughter, then her heart is softened.  It’s when I am ornery that is making her ornery that it becomes a problem and then we feed each other’s stubbornness. 

I was thinking about this scripture the other day.  When it says “even as a child doth submit to his father”, I think it may be referring how children submit to their Heavenly Father.  As times it seams that Heavenly Father is in complete control of the attitudes of my children.  They are happy when I am happy and they are defiant when my patience and long-suffering need to be tested.

“Write about how young a child you are willing to become to your Heavenly Father and just how far you are willing to submit in all things that He might see fit to “inflict” upon you.”

I think my current spiritual age in this respect is probably somewhere around 14. (Remembering the goal is to grow from an ‘old grumpy man’ to a submissive child, then getting spiritually younger as we go.)   I have grown out of my 16-18 stage of thinking I know everything.  I know there is so much I don’t know and so much I lack.  I have learned to trust that God knows best, that He sees all- especially when I cannot, and that He is ‘making me complete’.  I trust this process.  I know who I am because God told me.  I know what He wants for me, and I know where He is leading me; I trust that.  There is no pain, emotionally or physically, that I would be unwilling to suffer if it was His will.  My intent and willingness to suffer is not generally where I lack, (at least I don’t think it is.  I am constantly checking myself on my motives and intentions.)   Where I do lack is in the limited perspective of “the moment” of pain, which is where I tend to get angry. 

I know God is good.  I know I am His child.  I know He wants me to be happy and all that He has created in me and around me is leading me to reach my full potential: my weaknesses will in time be turned to strengths- as I continue to submit to Him in all things.