God would give the best

I'm at the very end of the 30 days of resilience, and today he reminded us of the George MacDonald quote, 

"Man finds it hard to get what he wants,

because he does not want the best;

God finds it hard to give,

because He would give the best,

and man will not take it."

It reminds me of that beautiful story of Mary, Martha and Jesus...Martha frustrated by all the serving and a sitting sister, Jesus lovingly reminding Martha that Mary was pursuing what was best, sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening whole-heartedly to His voice.

The idea of being "single-hearted" has been repeated again and again through John Eldredges study, morphing "benevolent detachment" into simply living a life of being fully surrendered to Jesus, always giving everything over to God.

I've gotten into the practice these 30 days of saying again and again, "Lord, I give everyone and everything to you.  I love you, I believe you, I am waiting on you. I give ____ to you."

It's so simple, but so both freeing and grounding.

There are So. Many. Issues. in this world I have always wanted so badly to fix, to change, to worry over or take on, to carry for others.  So many things and people I have always want to Martha. 

But bringing them to Jesus and leaving them in His lap has been so much more effective. And I can genuinely feel His resilience growing in me as I do. 

When He is the strength of our hearts, and our hearts are fully His...we are strong. Not by our own efforts, and not exhausted and weary by the end of the day.  His strong, flowing through us...pouring out on others and strengthening us at the same time.

He IS gentle. He would give the best.  He is giving me good gifts...moments in the car for meaningful conversation with precious girls to and from practices and classes. Sweet moments of studying cave men and the life of ants with an ever-animated Ben. An ornery baby with legs so chubby, her rolls are tan and the creases, white. A walk after dinner in golden light. A fiercely independent Nora who always passes a clingy moment right before I leave, even if just for 30 minutes. 

Chocolate chip pancakes snatched before they hit the plate, giggling girls, healthy children, early morning coffee on the porch swing with the Lord before the house erupts, food to pack in lunches, friends to help move and to sit around messy tables and to pray for, a husband who works hard for the Gospel and grows me in It, besides. 

Good gifts. He would fill our hearts with the full-glory of Eden were we to choose intimacy with Him and the richness of His kingdom above all else!

Seeing Him first this week with you...share with me some of the ways you have trained yourself to seek Him first in all things!