Today I reminded my daughter that I loved her.
Her confident response was, “I know.”
I went on to say that sometimes I wonder whether she doesn’t think I love her because of how I may have dealt with her. (We do butt heads on occasion.)
Her confident response was, “Never.”
In a sudden burst of insight, I noted, “So you know that I love you. You just don’t like the way I love you sometimes.”
Her smiling response was , “That’s right!”
And I thought…if I am honest, I sometimes feel the same way about God.
I know that He loves me. But that love means:
-showing me when I am wrong
-challenging me to do better
-pushing me out of my comfort zone
-letting me face the consequences of my choices
-holding me to high standards
and much more.
None of which I can say that I enjoy.
In the same way my daughter is probably tempted to roll her eyes when I say to her, “I wouldn’t ______ if I didn’t care,” I have at times wished that God didn’t care so much.
Crazy huh?
Just as children lack parental perspective, I lack the big-picture view.
What I think would be an “easier” life now may only be to my eternal detriment.
Thankfully, being the awesome Father that He is, God loves me inspite of myself, and continues to “parent” me for my own good.
I am loved.
