Learning the Hard Way

Why is it in life that for the most part...we have to learn things the hard way?  What is it that makes this type of learning go so much deeper, so much so that we welcome change in ways we probably would not have welcomed before? 


In some ways we all know the answer to this.  Our hard heartedness or stubborn nature gets the best of us and we refuse to let God lead us in the way the HE KNOWS is best, and we take things into our own hands.  I think this sheds a whole lot of light into the reason why God allows us to go through struggles and experience the hardships of life.  


I can relate fully to the above because I am a bit of a control freak...or maybe the better word is 'creatively anal'.  It is part of the way that God has made me, and although being anal presents challenges...we are those people that God uses to get things planned, organized and executed in a very precise and timely manner.  Yummm...music to my ears.  In my life journey, this part of my personality has been that which motivates me, and yet it has often been my biggest bane.  It is very hard for me to let go and let God.   In fact, I think I probably had my whole life planned out by the time I was five.  Music, marriage, babies, house, Audi (well maybe not an Audi at that time...but close enough), vacations and of course money to make all the above seem flawless and easy.  I'm sure many of you can relate.


And then one day, after more and more years have passed...you wake up and find that things aren't quite falling into place...your plan is not happening as hoped...and as was in my case, there was only one person to blame.  God.  I had crossed every t and doted every i.  I had served him as best I could, stood up for him and professed my faith openly, ministered at my church, went to bible school, prayed, read my bible and journaled.  What was going on?  There were those around me that were reckless not only in their spiritual lives but also in there personal lives and everything seemed to be falling into place for them...so what was going on?  Why was God blessing them and not me?  Was it punishment for something I had done or hadn't done?  


I couldn't understand it...and in some ways I still don't, but I do know one thing undoubtedly...God is always and will always be in pursuit of his children...refining us through trials is part of this pursuit.  I can say one thing for sure now that I'm on the 'other side', and that is that I needed to learn the hard way.  I still do.  I want to be refined by His fire.  I want to learn, and hopefully learn the first time.


But...if I don't, I know that I'll have another chance to learn it the hard way again.  Some might think that makes God mean, I say it makes Him persistent in His pursuit of me.  That makes me smile.

Posted in: Mel's Thoughts