Staying balanced - with God's help...

A few days ago as I was helping Nathaniel change his pants I was struck by the difference with how he dealt with being off balance while lifting one leg and then the other compared to how Emma had dealt with it a few days earlier. While Emma had promptly leaned into me, her chubby still babyish arm wrapped around my neck, completely reliant on me, Nathaniel chose to stick his thin 5 year old arms out and try to balance himself as he wobbled back and forth.

Again I was struck by the similarity to my relationship with God as I watched him struggle to stay balanced alone, despite my offers to help him balance himself on my shoulder.

Over the past four years since my husband lost his job we have struggled in many ways. Not the least spiritually as we strove to trust in God’s providence while our material belongings were slowly stripped away.

While I watched in faint amusement, Nathaniel’s comical over balancing; I wondered what God’s thoughts have been over the past four years while I too struggled, determined to stand on my own two feet. And all the while God stood along side me, patiently waiting for me to reach out and balance myself on His ready shoulder.

Unfortunately, I am a slow learner and I still catch myself trying to balance myself with my arms outstretched, wobbling back and forth until again I remember that without God – I am nothing but with Him – I can do anything.