~ Don't Leave It in the Bowl

Sometimes God uses His Word to mold me. Sometimes He uses the wisdom of a friend, a sermon, or a good book as his sharpening tools. Often, He uses pain and struggle to make His point. There are times when he speaks in the stillness and calmness of life, and then there are other times when he chooses to make Himself known in the chaos. Imagine my surprise when I heard Him speak to me as I stared into a bowl of Lucky Charms the other day. (Yes, I mean the magically delicious ones.)

(Photo found here)

My son wanted a bowl of cereal for breakfast, specifically Lucky Charms. Needing to get my older children fed and ready for school, I handed him a small bowl of dry cereal to appease him while I went about my morning routine, reminding myself to give him a nutricious breakfast once they were off to school.

After a while, he came back to the kitchen and handed me the bowl. I glanced down to see that the bowl was almost as full as it had been when I gave it to him, except that all the pink hearts, yellow moons, orange stars, & green clovers had "magically" disappeared. He ate every marshmallow and left the "semi"-nutricious part of the cereal. I said to him, "Honey, you can't just eat the fun parts and leave the parts you don't like." How many moms have said that to their children after a bowl of Lucky Charms?

(Photo found here)

The moment it left my mouth, I heard a soft whisper say, "What are you eating lately? You've been making your diet on the fun stuff and leaving the important stuff in the bowl." It may not have been audible, I'm pretty sure no one else heard it, but I'm quite sure it was a message for me. Once the kids were off to school and my little one had occupied himself at the train table, I sat in the stillness and asked God to show me what I'd been leaving in the bowl.

First, I thought of the obvious things, you know, the everyday things - choosing to take a drive instead of getting groceries, working at the computer instead of playing with the boys, finishing that last chapter instead of going to bed when I should - stuff like that. But as He poked and prodded, I saw the bigger picture. I had been choosing to do the things in my life that were easy, comfortable and fun and nelecting to do the things that were difficult, challenging, beyond my comfort level. He showed me where I had pulled away from relationships because, too many times, people had caused pain and staying away was easier, less risky. He revealed how I had pulled away from ministry because ministry, at times, is messy and pulling away keeps things neat and clean. But at what cost?

Isn't it during the pain and struggles of relationships that He has grown me up, filtered out some of the ugliness of my selfishness and pride? Hasn't he used those times to make me look just a little more like Him? In the messiness of ministry, haven't I run to Him, clung to Him and sought to discover His love for His people, His truth for my life and His heart for His church?

In pulling away, hiding, and closing myself off, I have traded mess and pain for complacency. In choosing to have a lukewarm affection for people I have chosen a lukewarm affection for my Savior. In choosing to neglect the important things, I've neglected Him. Somehow, I've abandoned His best for me, and settled for a cheap, feel-good, path that, at best, leaves me craving something better.

I don't want to settle for complacency. I don't want a shallow, meaningless existence. I've tasted His best and I know that pain, and struggle and mess are sometimes what He uses to bring you to His best. He wants me to do life with people - not on my own. He wants the push and pull of that communion to mold me and sharpen me. He wants me to love people the way He loves them, see them as He sees them. I want it, too. And I know when I get it right, when I do life like He wants me to, it's magically delicious (in a spiritually fulfilling kind of way)!

What are you eating lately? Are you just snacking on the fun parts, the fluff? Are you leaving the important stuff in the bowl? Or are you feasting on the stuff that grows you up and satisfies your deepest longings?