At our house, balloons are always a source of disappointment. I cringe whenever one comes home; it never has a happy ending. Once, after a frilly fairy princess party, a lovely balloon came home. It had three pretty smiling princesses on it. It was a favourite and managed to survive for quite a few days. Then, oh unfortunate accident, my daughter stepped on her sister’s balloon. No, I’m not completely sure how that happened, but the disappointment was a little unbearable. There was great sobbing and cries of “fix it, fix it!” “Oh Dear,” I said, “I know you are upset, but you really have to stop yelling, you know it can’t be fixed.” I expected more crying and then comforting, but the determined little girl said, “Fine, I’ll have to fix it myself,” and off she went.
I had no idea what was coming next. I figured she must know something I didn’t. A few minutes later she returned with a new freshly blown up balloon and was in the process of drawing on it with a magic marker. She then presented me with her version of a perfect replacement for the broken balloon. There was her new balloon with three smiling stick figures drawn on it. “There,” she said, “I fixed it, good as new.” In her determination to be right she would never have admitted that it was less than perfect.
It is a familiar story, isn’t it? So often in my prayer life I have cried out, “Fix it, fix it!” That, however, doesn’t always seem to be God’s answer to our problems. When the instant fix doesn’t happen, I become frustrated. I can’t count the times I’ve imagined up wonderful solutions for God so He could fix situations. I have come up with some pretty “perfect” plans. The times I’ve forced my way the result has been less than perfect, though I haven’t always been quick to admit it. There are, of course, the times that not even my imagination can come up with a solution. Not surprisingly, the resolutions God has given to my problems are usually very different than the solutions I thought up. God has a way of providing an unexpected and much better answer than could be imagined.
Sarah, in the Bible, is the great example of how wrong things can go when we try to fix things on our own. I can’t imagine the frustration of waiting years and years for the baby God had promised. Taking things into her own hands, Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham to have a child by her. Her solution was heartbreak for her and Hagar both. God had every intention of fulfilling His promise, just not the way she had expected, and Sarah found herself to be a mom at ninety.
Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Not easy is it? Lamentations 3:26 also says, “It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” I’m pretty sure “wait quietly” means without screaming “fix it, fix it!” God has a plan; He doesn’t want us to fall for the old lie “God helps those who help themselves”. Wait quietly for God to do His work. Finally, Philippians 4:6 tells us:
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Just like I can’t fix a broken balloon, there are struggles and circumstances that are beyond me, only God can fix them. I’m thankful I don’t have to solve my life with my less than perfect answers. Give me your peace, Jesus, while I wait quietly for you.
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