The defiant child...

If you have ever had to deal with a defiant child or even a troubled teen, then you know what it feels like to have someone stand in front of you and just refuse to listen, obey rules or simply just do what is right. A defiant child can be one of the most trying things you will ever face as a parent. The level of disrespect, frustration and pain that a defiant child can cause is also not like anything else you will ever experience. This is the person that you provide for...every need is met by you, yet this person can't find the love/respect in their heart to just do what they know is right. Instead they just want to oppose everything "you" want them to do.
The reason I bring all this up about a defiant child is because there have been several times in my life that I know I was the defiant child to God. And there have been several times when I have been very convicted for the pain that I know I have caused God by opposing everything He wanted me to do. As His children, we too can stand in the face of God like a defiant child and say things like.."I know the way you want things done...but I'm going to do them my way". You may think, I have never said that to God....no, maybe not in those words, but how about with your actions or your lifestyle? God, the provider of everything we have...the one who blesses us each and every day of our life....and we have the nerve tell him "I can do what I want", like a defiant child.
I recently had a story told to me by a dad who was praying for his adult son. His son had gone all through life staying very close to God. He had entered the military and was about to go through a special forces training and on the day of his test, the young man said these words to God..."You can sit this one out. I don't need you, I've got this." Now I know when you hear that you may think, wow, how could someone say that to God. But when I heard it I thought, how many times have I said that with my actions, not my words. The dad went on to tell us how the young man failed the physical part of the test bad and never made it into that special forces group. He also has never had quite the same relationship with God after that. It was not the ending I was hoping to hear, but it did show me what can happen to our life when God does what we ask....and sits this one out.
You may think as you read this that none of this pertains to you. You are not defiant and you would never say that to God. However, I would challenge you to ask yourself how many times have you done something or made a decision without even consulting with God about it? How many times has your way been your answer? How many times have you had to stuff down a feeling that just didn't feel right so you could have what you wanted in life? Those are those moments when you were God's defiant child. However, because our heavenly Daddy loves us, because of His amazing grace and mercy, because of what Jesus did for us.....He is always waiting on your to realize what you have done and come back to say "sorry, I want to do this the right way....Your way". And in that moment, I can hear Him saying in His loving words back to us "It's ok...my love, grace and mercy already covered that. Let's get your life back on track cause I have a plan and purpose for you".
God, we are so sorry for the times we have been that defiant child to You. Thank You for not being a God who shuts us out because of the selfish things we do, but instead lovingly accepts us back in as if we never hurt You at all. Help us to see that the enemy wants us to think that our ways are not his ways....when we know they really are. Help us to see that anything that isn't Your way, is the ways of the world and not the path You want us on. Thank you for the blood of Jesus that covers our mistakes and thank You for Your grace and mercy that always receives us back in. In Jesus name, Amen.