The other day I was babysitting, as I have been almost every day this past month, when the kids asked for some chocolate milk. I used chocolate milk powder and cold milk. The stuff I used is normally for hot chocolate so it was really powdery even after violently stirring it for 10 minutes.
One of the boys kept saying, "Give it to me. Give it to me now!" even though I told him it wasn't ready. It took some time to mix it really well but the boy really wanted his chocolate milk. As he kept up with his demands I thought, "oh my goodness, do you really want to drink powdery milk that'll probably taste gross, make you cough a lot and be disappointed with chocolate milk forever?" I explained to him that if I gave it to him now it would be yucky so he had to wait. He sulked but complied and waited as I mixed. Finally I finished and he happily drank his non-powdery chocolate milk.
While resisting the urge to be annoyed it dawned on me that I'm like this boy.
I'm exactly like the 4-year old that didn't understand why he couldn't get his chocolate milk right away.
When I don't get what I want right away I get upset with God. I impatiently think, "I want it now! You told me you were going to give it to me so give it to me now!" I'm familiar with the concept of waiting as it seems to be the thing to talk, write and preach about. I know it's a discipline that's necessary for my own benefit in regards to the health of my spirit, soul, mind and heart. But you still can't help but think, "I want what you promised me RIGHT NOW" or you think you've waited long enough so you get restless and decide it's time to be given the promise.
But do you really want half of the promise? Out of His great love for me He tells me to wait. It isn't about waiting but rather about his LOVE. If I wanted that boy to be quiet I would have given him really nasty powdery chocolate milk and gone on with my day. For his benefit I had him wait. Even though he was demanding, whining and getting worked up I asked him to wait because I knew what was the best for him.
I know it isn't a new revelation to discover that my Father in heaven wants to give me the best, but it just didn't register with me until this chocolate milk incident. Whenever I meet a really awesome guy I think, "This is it. He's just what I wanted so God pleeeaaaaasseee let this work. You know me so I know you'll make this work for me." So far this hasn't been successful and I wonder what's taking God so long. But God doesn't want to give me second best or someone that isn't fully prepared and ready.
We don't want to settle for gross powdery tasteless chocolate milk; the love of the Father is working on giving you the best. Wait for it because that's when you get the best and most tasteful and rich chocolate milk.
John 10:7b
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
oh hannah be wanting that CHOCOLATE MILK
ReplyDelete{lol @goldandsilver} oh, hannah. you have no idea how salient this post is to me. i literally loled when i read this because i was JUST thinking about this. i love the way we can learn through relationships with children, and i love the way God has been using your blog to encourage me these past couple of weeks!! :]
ReplyDeletechocolate milk..... we could all use a little lesson in patience and waiting.... ^^ have you seen the "marshmallow test" with four year olds? (just google it) it is so hilarious!
ReplyDeletei'm not sure why it signed me in to my blogger account~ i don't use it anymore~ i signed in with google so it shouldn't have been blogger... oh well... this is dyanne^^
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for posting this, Hannah. I've been struggling with the same thing, even with little, "I wish I could hang out with so-and-so today instead of next week," or, "I wish my photo shoot could have happened earlier so I wouldn't be so stressed," type things. God's timing is always best, but we often take lots of reminding to remember that.
ReplyDelete"He has made everything beautiful in its time." (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
Blessings, Hannah!
aw i love this! such a wonderful message, and like...perfect metaphor my gosh like perfection i really liked this!! :) you write quite wonderfully :) you are such an inspiration, seeing God's love in some powdery chocolate milk ahaha thats great, awesome post :)
ReplyDeletewow. This is breathtaking.
ReplyDelete