Avoiding the Tough Stuff

This morning as I was folding my kids laundry (one of my favorite activities), I realized there were several pieces of clothing that I had just washed recently and didn’t actually recall seeing my kids wear them.

Perhaps you have stumbled upon this problem in your home.  It is easier for kids to put clothes back in the laundry hamper than actually put them in drawers or hang them up as they are expected to do.  It is a bit of a shortcut.  It doesn’t really hurt anyone (other than mom whose laundry pile is never depleted).  It is just a way of avoiding something that perhaps they don’t want to do at the time. They might have had “more important” things to focus on.

And just as I was thinking about the lecture that I am about to give (loving conversation, I mean), my heavenly Father tugged at my heart about how perhaps I do a little of this same thing.  Love how He uses my kids to teach me things!

There are situations, areas in life, weaknesses, relationships, feelings, tasks that I sometimes do my very best to avoid (to throw back in the hamper, if you will).  I convince myself that it doesn’t really hurt anyone (actually it hurts me more than anyone).  And it allows me to focus on the more important things (actually just the things that are easier to deal with and that I’m not so scared to face).

It is amazing how accomplished we can become at shutting off portions of our lives that we don’t want to think about, don’t want to discuss with the Lord, and certainly don’t want to work on or face.  And yet the Savior of our hearts desires to have obedience in all areas of our lives.  Not because He wants to discipline us but because He loves us and wants the very best for us.  He wants to transform us as earthly vessels to become more and more like him.  We can’t do that when we shy away from the tough stuff.  When we act out in fear and shut off the scary areas that perhaps we don’t want to face.  We can’t do it alone, but we don’t have to!  Our God will help us along the way when we place our trust in Him.  Listen to this promise.

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-displine.” ~ 2 Timothy 1:7

My prayer is that we turn over our whole lives (not just the good parts, the areas we are proud of) to Christ.  That we allow Him to show us where we can improve by relying on His strength and grace.  That we become obedient to His will for our lives.  And that slowly and surely, we allow His light and love to transform us so we can be used each day for His glory!