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“Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord.” – Psalm 119:1
Opening the cardboard box, there were at least 50 pieces inside, along with a bag filled with screws, bolts, nuts and washers of various sizes. This was supposed to be a 20 minute job, but looking at the pieces now spread out on the floor in front of me, it looked more like a 20 day job. As I moved the pieces around it became obvious that there was one thing that was missing – the instruction sheet(s) on how to assemble it. Oh well, I had built plenty of toys, how hard could it be?
Frustration ensued about 2 hours into the job as my daughter waited impatiently for her new doll house. I had built it and taken it apart twice because a piece didn’t fit, or was backwards or I had used the wrong screw. All the while she remained confident in my ability to build it for her. She was playing with her dolls on the couch while I struggled to finish the balcony and staircase just right. Then came that moment when I turned the screwdriver one last time and my bag of bolts was empty. Looking at the doll house in it’s finished state a sense of pride, joy and relief washed over me. After nearly 3 hours of work on what should have taken 20 minutes, I slid the doll house back and told Emma, “It’s ready “. There is nothing like seeing the joy in your children’s eyes when they have received a gift they truly cherish. She ran across the room, arms filled with Barbie dolls and accessories and went straight to work, setting up the house exactly the way she wanted it.
All of the frustration could have been avoided and she could have been playing with her doll house much earlier had I only stopped and looked around a few more minutes before starting on this adventure. For you see, the instruction sheets had slid under the couch in the family room as I opened the box. Six simple pages of well documented diagrams, warnings and instructions on what went where and what not to do. I couldn’t help but laugh at myself and my lack of patience and arrogance in thinking that I knew what to do.
We are the same way with God. He has given you the perfect instruction manual – His Holy Word. Within it’s pages are wisdom, knowledge and instructions on how to handle life’s pressures with patience, integrity, truthfulness and joy. We often look at the problems we face in life and use our own life experiences to quickly attack the situation. I propose that there is another alternative and that is to take the problem to the Lord first and listen to His advice. Understand that the Bible is filled with answers to life’s questions if we were only willing to pursue it.
Just like the way I struggled to put Emma’s doll house together, we can get to the final result on our own but more often than not it will be much more difficult than had we followed the Father’s word. We know right from wrong, good from evil and the expected righteousness of God. The key is to use this knowledge, coupled with the living testimony of Jesus Christ in our lives and the examples given from His walk on this earth to take on the challenges we face each day. This is why spending time in His Word and in quiet reflection is so important each day. The more we study and remain in Him, the easier it becomes to follow His instructions in life.
Frustration ensued about 2 hours into the job as my daughter waited impatiently for her new doll house. I had built it and taken it apart twice because a piece didn’t fit, or was backwards or I had used the wrong screw. All the while she remained confident in my ability to build it for her. She was playing with her dolls on the couch while I struggled to finish the balcony and staircase just right. Then came that moment when I turned the screwdriver one last time and my bag of bolts was empty. Looking at the doll house in it’s finished state a sense of pride, joy and relief washed over me. After nearly 3 hours of work on what should have taken 20 minutes, I slid the doll house back and told Emma, “It’s ready “. There is nothing like seeing the joy in your children’s eyes when they have received a gift they truly cherish. She ran across the room, arms filled with Barbie dolls and accessories and went straight to work, setting up the house exactly the way she wanted it.
All of the frustration could have been avoided and she could have been playing with her doll house much earlier had I only stopped and looked around a few more minutes before starting on this adventure. For you see, the instruction sheets had slid under the couch in the family room as I opened the box. Six simple pages of well documented diagrams, warnings and instructions on what went where and what not to do. I couldn’t help but laugh at myself and my lack of patience and arrogance in thinking that I knew what to do.
We are the same way with God. He has given you the perfect instruction manual – His Holy Word. Within it’s pages are wisdom, knowledge and instructions on how to handle life’s pressures with patience, integrity, truthfulness and joy. We often look at the problems we face in life and use our own life experiences to quickly attack the situation. I propose that there is another alternative and that is to take the problem to the Lord first and listen to His advice. Understand that the Bible is filled with answers to life’s questions if we were only willing to pursue it.
Just like the way I struggled to put Emma’s doll house together, we can get to the final result on our own but more often than not it will be much more difficult than had we followed the Father’s word. We know right from wrong, good from evil and the expected righteousness of God. The key is to use this knowledge, coupled with the living testimony of Jesus Christ in our lives and the examples given from His walk on this earth to take on the challenges we face each day. This is why spending time in His Word and in quiet reflection is so important each day. The more we study and remain in Him, the easier it becomes to follow His instructions in life.
© Sondove Enterprises, 2012
For additional Daily Thoughts, please visit: http://www.10minutereader.com
For additional Daily Thoughts, please visit: http://www.10minutereader.com
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