God Patiently Walks with Us through Awkward Moments
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Junior high is awkward. Growth spurts are revealed by embarrassing trips into lockers and embarrassing tumbles in the middle of crowded hallways. Growing pains hurt!
When we are young, our parents and caregivers use the power of repetition to teach us important lessons and to help us acquire basic knowledge. God has given us the instruction we need, repetitively throughout His word. An undivided heart is developed in those who repeatedly seek Him in His Word. The Bible is the Holy Word of God, alive and active in our lives. God promises when we seek Him with all of our hearts, we will find Him. “In order to begin to understand the sovereignty of the Lord,” Moody Bible Commentary explains, “it is essential to know Him better daily by obeying the instruction.”
To teach is to “impart knowledge or skill.” Good parents and caregivers make an effort to ensure their children are developing a good sense of wisdom to discern the difference between what is good and what is not. Our faithful Father in heaven provides us with everything we need, and providentially goes before us to ensure we have what we do not know we will ever need. “What would be the benefit if God were to save him from his enemies but abandon him in his own waywardness?” the NIV Study Bible explains. “David’s dependence on God is complete, and so is his devotion to God- save me from the enemy outside but also from my frailty within.”
The Author of our days and the One who knows their number is faithful to help us through awkward growth spurts. There is a reason I compassionately relate to the awkward trips, falls, and embarrassments of junior high kids. In my own life, I still endure many awkward moments. Times when I put my foot in my mouth, or wish I would have so I wouldn’t have let it run out of control. I trip and fall over obvious obstacles. We all experience the awkwardness of being human, every day.
We can smile and know God’s love for us never fades. Even when we turn from Him rebelliously, He patiently waits for us to turn to Him again with open arms. He always forgives, and never loves less. None of us can avoid the awkward growing pains. Instead of hiding in embarrassment, we can find camaraderie in the community of believers seeking Christ alongside us.
David’s prayer as it relates to us today is to become Christ-centered in the way we live our daily lives. When we aim to mature in our faith, we realize how faithful He is to bless our lives with a pack of Christ centered people to run the race with. In the gaps, when we feel we are running alone, keep striding on, knowing there is another pack we are assuredly closing in on. Keep going. Keep growing …with an undivided heart sold out to Christ.
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