What You Want

One morning recently London approached me and out of the blue stated, "Mom, God just doesn't do what you want."

What?

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, last night I prayed for God to shut the door and I waited and He just never did it."

I didn't laugh. Because I didn't think it was funny. I thought she was right.

Sometimes God just doesn't do what we want. Period.

I didn't try to convince London that God does do just what we ask. Because I don't think that's true. And she is young, not dumb.

I didn't try to explain that her demand was illogical. Because to her, the demand was perfectly logical. (Just like we think our demands to God are always perfectly logical. When they are not.)

She was right. London was right.

God does not do what we want.

And I don't know why.

I could wax philosophical and say that we don't really understand our wants and that our wants are not always God's will and that we often mistake our wants for our needs.

All of which may be true.

But what difference do any of those truths make when we are begging God to meet our wants and we see that He isn't? That God is not doing what we want.

Because God does not do what we want.

I said I didn't know why, but I guess I do know why, actually.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. . . . . my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. - Isaiah 55:9,11

So there is a plan.

And we don't know it.

Because we aren't God.

And He doesn't have to do what we want.