Determination

Last night I was helping my son with his math, which can be a mixed bag.  He is soo determined to be able to say, "I understand it" that he will often start doing it without help or truly understanding what he is doing.  While this at times drives me batty, I have to temper my reaction(s) because his determination to learn and be able to do it on his own is vital to him believing in himself once he becomes an adult.

Back to last night, after a challenging day for both he and myself, it was time to get to what we loved most - MATH!  (Yeah, I was being sarcastic)  Anyway, as we were going over his algebra, it became evident to both he and I that this challenging day was going to have a challenging night to match.  Three hours later...while we both were mentally drained, we were amped because he finished all of his math!  This was completely due to his determination to finish.  He did need quite a bit of help initially but toward the end I was able to let him work independently (while I cooked dinner) and to his surprise he fully understood the concept.

I was proud of him, not because of his determination as I have seen this many times before, because he was able to give up control and trust the process that his father was teaching him.  In times past this was more of a struggle and we would not have completed his work if he was not willing to change his behavior and try something new - if you do what you always did, you'll end up where you always were.

Our spiritual journey is similar, it is one that requires determination and the ability to learn to let go and trust God.  Most of the time when we find ourselves backed into a corner we have done all we can yet many times we do not seek another method for solving the problem but instead rely on our own devices.  When you find yourself here, seek God, trust the process and seek external help if required.  You just might learn a new and better way of handling your situation(s), be patient and don't rush through the experience for there is just as much value in the journey as reaching the end point.

 James 4:3 (NIV84) "...When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures..."

Blessings,
-d