It was impossible to get anything done. I rubbed my face, readjusted my seat, drank my iced tea. A writing deadline loomed over my head — a big writing deadline.

Get a grip, girl. Focus!

Alas, an annoying buzzing noise loomed over my head, too. Literally.

For the umpteenth time, I looked up at the kitchen window and watched a fly in his futile attempts to get outside. For close to a half hour, he’d traced the rectangular outline of our kitchen window frame, trying to find the smallest hole through which he could escape.

Bam, bam, bam!

Again and again, he threw himself against the glass, hoping he could break free. Around he went, as if our panes of glass could be breached by the sheer force of his little fly will.

Poor guy. He didn’t realize his foolishness. The window was far too strong for his itty bitty self. But even more pathetic? In all his window-banging and glass-buzzing, he’d missed the single truth that would finally set him free:

The back door stood wide open and only inches to the left of his window.

He was so focused on the window, he’d missed the presence of a door.

As annoyed as I was with my fly friend, I couldn’t help but consider how very much like him I am. When I set my mind on something — a plan, a dream, a desire — I can be quite tenacious in my attempts to make it happen. I’m stubborn, strong-willed, determined. And I’m certainly not afraid of a little hard work. So I throw myself into my agenda, determined to do whatever it takes to get what I want.

Alas, in my tireless pursuit of my own agenda, I often don’t realize my foolishness. I’m too close, too short-sighted, too small to have any kind of perspective on the overall whole. All I can see is the window, not the door.

Then, when the plan, dream, desire doesn’t pan out, I end up disappointed and even a bit angry at God for not coming through. After all, I worked so hard to do my part.

Problem is I don’t need to work harder. I need a new vantage point, a divine one.

I need to step back from the very thing that vexes me and ask God for a fresh perspective. If I did that, if I stop trying to strong-arm my own agenda and instead asked God for His, I might discover that what I really want isn’t that far away after all.

If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
John 8:31-32 (NIV)

“If you hold to my teaching,” He said. His teaching, not my own. He knows the way I should go. He sees things I cannot see, from a perspective I don’t possess. But I won’t ever know the thrill of what’s possible with Him as long as I’m more consumed with what’s impossible on my own.

How about you, my friend? What obstacle are you bumping up against again and again? What is sapping your strength and leaving your short on hope? Perhaps the best way you can fight for it is to lay down your own effort and ask God for His.

Rather than working harder, try trusting more. Pull up a chair in His presence. Slow down, breathe, listen. Ask God to teach you His ways, to give you the wealth of His wisdom and a glimpse of what He sees from His vantage point.

Then? Look for the open door. Freedom is closer than you know.

 

We won’t ever know the thrill of what’s possible with Him as long as we're more consumed with what's impossible on our own. -@MicheleCushatt: Click To Tweet Leave a Comment