He transforms

After a Christmas that my husband said was the best one so far, I had a kid say, "Is that really it?"  Have you ever thought that?  After praying for a husband or a wife or a child or anything for that matter, were you disappointed in what you had received? Disappointment like change is inevitable, it comes with life, but why is that?  Why would we be disappointed in something that He gave us?  Why would we second guess Him and His work in our lives?

I think the Jews were disappointed in what they received that first Christmas.  They were expecting a King, or a warrior not a baby.  The prophets had foretold of a great and mighty figure and what they received was a child born in a stable.  If I was them, I think I would have had second thoughts about who this child actually was as well.

Disappointment creeps into our lives unexpectedly.  We start focusing on annoyances or faults and forget to see Him in others or in situations.  I know disappointment destroys relationships.  Relationships that in the beginning we were sure were sent from Heaven turn into hatefulness.  I know that people's relationship with Him can end up that way as well, but thankfully He is patient and He is always waiting for our return.

As a married woman, I know how easy it is to look at what you believe are your mate's faults and dwell on them.  Women and men are very different and since we can normally only see things our way we can't understand why our mates don't behave the way we think they should.

Women especially think that they can change the men in their lives, "Make them into the man that I need them to be."  And sometimes it works, especially when the man loves them as much as they do, but most of the time it backfires and turns the man into a resentful person. Granted we all have our faults, we all are not perfect, we all have things we need to change about ourselves, but why would we work so hard on changing something that was sent from Him?

I got exactly what I wanted for Christmas, a house full of my kids.  However after it was all said and done, I ended up with several broken dishes, a broken planter and a nasty cold.  Was that what I expected?  No, but it was what I got. My daughter received a guitar for Christmas, it was what she wanted but what she didn't realize was that hard work and callouses were to follow.  She wasn't exactly disappointed but it wasn't what she was expecting.

Was your picture of your mate that way?  Did you get what you wanted but not what your were expecting?  Is your picture of Him the same?  Has He given you what you wanted but not in a way that you were expecting?

Part of the sermon at my Church this Sunday was a challenge to take what we were given and do something with it.  Now she was speaking of the Good News but I think that speaks to all of us.  That old adage, "when life hands you lemons make lemonade", stands true.

I am reminded of Rahab, she was a prostitute, far from perfect but yet she is mentioned in the lineage of the Son.  We need to look beyond our perception of faults in others and in Him.  We need see that those perceived faults might just be exactly what we need.  I know I mentioned that in my last post, my husbands stubbornness, though it makes me crazy at times, helped to save my marriage.

He doesn't see us through human eyes, He sees us through perfect eyes and He sees that our faults might be our greatest strengths.  Look at people though the eyes of Him.  I know that it is hard to see good where you can only see bad but look at it with a different perspective and you might be surprised as to what you see.

If we look at others as He looks at us, the world would be changed.  Marriages would be saved, therapists would be out of work and children everywhere wouldn't have to turn to others for support.  Don't be disappointed in what you have received, relish in the little things.  I know it's cliche but focus on the positive.  He knew what He was doing when He put you in this relationship.

Over the last 15 months I have learned that prayer changes everything.  Praying for change in another person is ok, but I suggest you pray for a change in yourself. Pray that you will see the small things.  Pray that you will have the opportunity to praise the other person and pray that your change will be evident to others and that it might soften their hearts to His work in their lives.