My job is to go to the homes of kids with special needs and give them physical therapy.

One particularly cute little 7-year-old girl (emphasis on LITTLE and CUTE) is also probably the most difficult kid that I work with. Let’s call her Ava.

You see, Ava has a condition that makes her 100 percent disagreeable to any suggestion that I have (or anyone else has). 

I know, I know, you’re thinking that all kids go through that phase at some point. But let me tell you—this is different than what you’re thinking of. 

She could literally be eating peppermint ice cream (her favorite), and I could make the suggestion, “Hey Ava, I think you should keep eating that ice cream.” Something about her condition makes her throw the ice cream in the trash.

As you can imagine, working with Ava is very challenging. I have to come up with new, creative ways to get her to do what I need her to do without her figuring out that she is doing what I want her to do.

I wonder how similar that situation is to God’s relationship with us. Occasionally, He simply asks us or encourages us to do what He wants, or He speaks through a sermon or class. 

But sometimes he uses new or creative ways to point us in the right direction. Ask the children of Israel, “Why through the Red Sea?” Or how about, “Why 40 years in the desert (after you refused but then agreed to go into the promised land)?”

Am I so stubborn that God has to get creative with ways to help me learn important things like patience, humility, endurance, fasting, gratitude, servanthood? 

You don’t want God to have to get too creative!

“Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.

I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.

For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.

O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.

But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.” (Psalm 86:11-15)

This article has undergone ministry review and approval.