Every Good and Perfect Gift

I can’t believe we are already in November at the time I’m writing this. It seems the older I get the faster time seems to fly. Granted, I’m only about to turn 30 in February, but still! As the Christmas season approaches faster than Santa’s reindeer, I find myself reminiscing on how time seemed to move so S L O W L Y when I was a child. I remember carefully crafting my wish list, scratching things off, and adding new desires with each fresh commercial that flashed across the TV screen (this was before the internet was big, people!). December 25 always felt like it took WAY too long to get here.

Now, I blink and it’s gone.

Isn’t it funny how as children, we often say, “Man, I can’t wait until I get older!” Whether that was because we wanted more freedom, agency, the ability to eat McDonald’s whenever we wanted – whatever. We were always impatiently waiting for time to speed up. We thought getting older was the answer to all of our minuscule problems.

However, when we finally reach the magic, obscure age of adulthood (is it 18? 21? Who knows!), we realize – Uh…this is NOT what I pictured.

Thanks to social media, we look at our “friends” and think, “how can they be so much further along in their life journey than me? They don’t even really deserve what they have!” We are constantly comparing and rushing to get to where we think we should or need to be, or tearing others down for not being “worthy” of the blessings bestowed on them.

I’ve always found comfort in Psalm 37:7 which says, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.” We are so obsessed with getting what we want when we want it. We whine when someone else gets it. When we don’t receive it, we blame everyone or everything other than ourselves. That’s not to say it’s even up to us at all. Like this verse says, we need to wait patiently for what God deems is best for us.

2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you…” Don’t get it twisted – God is listening to your desires. While the answer might not seem to be what you think is best for you, it’s important to seek out what He is trying to teach you in the answer He provides.

God doesn’t delight in seeing you hurt for the desires you think will make you happy or content. He wants to honor you for your faith in Him. It is said, “…the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” (Isaiah 30:18) We all hate waiting, but we can rest in the knowledge that whatever answer God decides to provide will be what is good and right for our growth as individuals.

To bring things back to the Christmas analogy, I’m sure there have been times when you received a gift you were neither expecting nor asking for. I know one of the most thoughtful and useful gifts I’ve ever received was certainly not one that was even on my radar. While it was awesome in itself, what made it even more special was the fact the person who gave it to me was thinking of what would not only make me happy but would make my life just a bit more…comfy (it was a blanket sweater).

I think God works like this, too. He knows us better than we know ourselves, so we shouldn’t second-guess Him or ask for a gift receipt so we can exchange what we are given. He understands what we need before we even need it – but we have to slow down so the true meaning behind the gift doesn’t escape our notice.

Remember, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17). Even if you think He’s dropped a giant lump of coal in your lap, you never know – that could be the fuel necessary to spark a great change in your life.