She Said, She Said

Dorothie said to herself, "Self, after careful examination and thoughtful consideration of numerous red herrings and thoughts that were neither wishful nor wistful, "Self, you are not God, so quit your dissembling ways!"

"Well, of course, I know I'm not God!"

"Then why do you act as if you're His Broadway stand-in?

I. Do. Not!

Oh yes, you do! You conscientiously decide when your petitions, requests, and solicitations should be answered.

I remember reading somewhere that anyone can and should make their requests known to God and that He answers them. 

There you go again, taking things out of context! Philippians 4:6 reads, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known unto God." Many of His answers rest on conditions. 

Oops, there it is, as the old song goes!

However, the Apostle Paul hadn't finished.  The next verse explains, "And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus." 

That's what I said it said!

No, you just took a piece of the cloth and tried to make a whole outfit out of it.  God says, "If you do this, then I'll do that.

So?

I won't argue with you, since none of this lobbing back and forth addresses your impatience with the timing and manner in which God answers your prayers, my dear. Paul never advised churchgoers in Philippi to take matters into their own hands if it appeared God was taking too long to answer.

I know that!

Then why do you act like you're the "Designated Doer?"

I don't! How could you even form your lips to ask me such a thing!

Gracious! You sound filled with  (self) "righteous indignation." The question remains, why do you so impatiently wait on God to answer even one of your requests? It sounds like you decided years ago that you had the right to change outcomes on your schedule.

Not really, but good things began to happen when my report card was filled with straight A's.

You learned to jump to conclusions when you were quite young.

"Maybe. I noticed it first in third grade.  Maybe, I was just naturally smart."

That's neither the question nor the issue.  Impatience coupled with your arbitrary decision-making seems to account for your unwillingness to trust anyone but yourself.

Absolutely! I learned that lesson a long, long time ago.  Who else could I depend on? I learned early I lived in a "me, myself, and I" world.

Sounds like you slept through all your Sunday school classes! Didn't your teachers teach you to ask God to do things for you and then to wait on Him?

Well, yes, but I thought that only applied t Sunday stuff!

Oh?

I don't know where I first heard that God helps those who help themselves.  But I do remember (Grand)Mama playing the song, "God bless the child that's got his own.

Sounds like you mixed apples and oranges, incomplete or poorly digested bible verses, and lots of Blues songs with an active imagination that left you with a libation you could neither swallow much less digest!

I admit that confusion controlled my life for much too long! I could've been a "Sherlock Holmes," except I was clueless! I couldn't figure out where I stood as a member of a large family or as an introvert in search of an uninhabited island.  My most arduous struggle has been my identity as a believer in Christ Jesus.  

Thank you for helping me to understand your independence and impatience.  Truth be told, you were sounding a little "off the wall" to me.  Praise be to God, now it sounds like you're no longer walking in darkness. You now live in a well-lighted recovery room where miracles have already happened!

Yes! I admit vestiges of the "old man" occasionally dominate and attempt to open windows of my mind to"error thoughts" that try to undermine God's Truth.   But I remember the old deacons used to say, "I'm not yet what I ought to be but praise God, I ain't what I used to be."  Truly, I'm still a work in progress.

It might be helpful to revisit scriptures like Matthew 7:7-8; Mark 11:24, and Philippians 4:18-19, along with numerous others.  The Bible's filled with them.  Even more important, I suggest beginning with the prayer of Matthew 7: 7-8. 

Hmm.  Hmm.  Hmm.  Thank you.