I Won’t

We took Gracee to the pool yesterday to practice her skills. I’m amazed at how she has finally lost so much fear and can now jump totally underwater. She’s been learning front and back floats, beginning front and back crawls, rolling over, and ring retrieval from the pool bottom. In the process of trying to give her some tips, she had these responses:

1. None.
2. “I can’t.”
3. “I don’t want to.”

I had an AHA moment sitting there on the ledge observing her and Papa. I sometimes respond to God in the same way.

1. No response. I let life’s bad acoustics get in the way of hearing Him. I’m distracted by other sights and sounds or even by serving instead of simply sitting.

2. “I can’t.” You are asking me to do what? I’m too tired. I’m too busy. It’s too hard.

3. “I don’t want to.” I’d really rather do what I know I do well. Thank you for asking, though.

What I’m really saying in all three instances is, “I won’t.”

I won’t get away to a quiet place where I can hear you. I won’t focus my attention on you in the midst of worldly echoes.

I won’t listen.

I won’t try. Even though I know you are calling me to do this thing. Yes, I know I’m supposed to be able to do all things you ask me to.

I won’t believe.

I won’t do that because it’s out of my comfort zone. It’s scary.

I won’t trust.

It’s a matter of priorities. It’s a matter of my will. I have no excuse.

Why would I ever want to miss His blessings? Why would I ever want to miss HIM?

“If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways, how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes. ” Psalm 81:13-14

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in the mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it–he will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:22-25

Lord, I WILL listen. I WILL follow. I WILL do. Because I do believe. Because I do trust.

Will you? Do you?