Childlike Behaviour vs Childlike Faith

"I promise Mommy, I promise I will sleep in my bed if you buy me a puppy!" these are the words my daughter tried to manipulate me with a week ago.  My daughter is seven and in Grade 1, but still comes to our bed every night.  Some nights I don't even realise she gets in; I just wake up in the morning and she's there but other nights she wakes up at 9pm and refuses to stay in her bed.  This was the situation last night.  With tears streaming down her face she was full of reasons why she can't sleep in her own bed.  I completely lost it and called my husband to handle the situation.  She wrapped him around her little finger and the three of us ended in bed together.  Again.  

As I laid there in bed, fuming, the Holy Spirit gently started ministering to my spirit and convicted me.  You see my husband and I are in a season of waiting; we are trusting God for breakthrough.  But I realised last night I have been behaving the same way as my daughter - I have been trying to manipulate God to get what I want.  

Waiting for a breakthrough can be like a roller coaster, but what God showed me last night was that when I am down, I behave like a child.  I sometimes give Him the silent treatment.  I sometimes throw a tantrum and cry and scream because I feel so desperate.  I sometimes bargain with Him (the same way my daughter did with the puppy)...  Thankfully God is a good and patient Father.  In Luke 11:11 Jesus says “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”.   

Matthew 18:3 Jesus says: "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven".  God requires of me to have childlike faith and not childlike behaviour.  My children know I love them and that I want the best for them.  The same way, I know my Father in Heaven loves me and that He wants the best for me.  While I am waiting for my breakthrough, my job is to keep believing and keep trusting my Abba Father.

Be blessed

Nadine

Luke 11:9-10 “So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."