Waiting to Return

Christmas day is over and the masses have headed to the stores to return or exchange unwanted gifts.  The lines are long and shoppers impatient.  Instead of that perfect gift hoped for, this was received.  It’s time to take it back and get what you really wanted.

There are some legitimate reasons to return gifts. One year I received a beautiful sweater that was off by two sizes. When I arrived at the store, I realized finding that same sweater in my size would be impossible. So into the long return line I went. Standing in line I heard others speaking their reasons for returning their items. Some simply did not like them. Others complained that the item was not what they asked for. Still others had received duplicates of the same item. The list went on, some reasons valid and others merely selfish.

Have you ever received a gift from your heavenly Father and wanted to return it? Before you quickly dismiss this thought I want to explore it a little deeper.

We may ask for material things that we may not truly want. I remember when some friends of ours were house hunting and asked God for a pool in their new home. They found a home that that all the needs of their family and had a beautiful pool in the backyard. They thanked God both privately and publicly for providing their dream.  Several years later the wife confessed to me that she really hated all the upkeep necessary for that pool. There was an expense for the chemicals and hours of labor that were necessary. Somehow the amount of fun in the pool provided paled in comparison to the work. This woman actually said she wished this had been one prayer God had answered with a “no”.  Count the cost of your requests.

Many things are more subtle.  People often say don’t ask for patience because you’ll get difficult situations in which great patience is required. But if you truly want to develop the fruit of the Spirit in your life, are not those difficult situations that develop patience a gift? It may not be what you would have ordered. We like everything quick and easy. But truth be told, microwave character just doesn’t exist. Virtue, godliness and true maturity come only after walking through trials with the help and presence of Jesus Christ.

 “Make me more like Jesus!” may be a heart desire that you voice to the Father. Then you learn that part of becoming like Jesus requires sharing in his suffering.  “For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort to.” (2Corinthians 1:5 ESV)  Not only do we find that we must share the sufferings, but we must do it joyfully.  “But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.” (1 Peter 4:13 ESV) While experiencing  the suffering portion of these verses, we may want to rush to that return line. This wasn’t what we thought we asked for, and it definitely is not the right size or color. We cannot see the second half of these verses which promise His comfort and glory revealed.  Now that is more like what we expected.

I could site so many examples of things that God has placed in my life that I would never have chosen. I think that anybody who has walked with God could do the same. But given time we can see the benefit and how it was truly just the gift that we needed.  “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” (James 1:17 ESV)  This is a precious promise to stand on. Even when we remember that this verse is just a few verses down from the passage, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2 – 4 ESV)  Complete and lacking nothing is a wonderful gift.

So rejoice, in the gift, the promise you will lack nothing and the giver.  And don’t run to the return line too quickly.  That gift that seemed inappropriate in the beginning may b just what you need somewhere down the road.