Day 20

“And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.”

I’m a problem-fixer. I can develop a very logical course of action for just about any problem you might have. And I do so often, even if not requested to do so (just ask my wife!)

I can’t stand to see my kids struggle when I have the resources (logic, money, drive, etc) to solve their problem for them. Whether it is how to get registered at a new college, or how to pick out an appliance, or how to navigate a government obstacle course, I know I have the answer – if they would only listen.

I can only imagine how frustrated the Father must have been about the path His son chose. Dad knew how to fix it, longed to fix it, was well-equipped to fix it – but He let His son reap what he sowed. Letting people endure the consequences and hardships resulting from their less-than-stellar decisions is a very difficult thing, at least for me.

I want to help people avoid the pain of hitting bottom, but sometimes that is the only way God can get his or her attention. I want to soften the blow, cushion the fall. But a startling jolt is what this boy needed, and nobody stepped in to derail the inevitable.

And sometimes I need a similar jolt, and I’m not too fond of those. But those moments do bring a stark awakening to the truth, even if I don’t like what I need to hear. And, on occasion, I seem to need more than one whack to truly learn the lesson intended.

How about you? Has God let you land hard and endure some pain lately? Has it produced a clearer understanding of the value of submission and obedience, or just made you hit the wall with your head harder, hoping to achieve a breakthrough?

Your hard-headed brother,

Lee Thrasher