Sometimes I can make this work to my advantage. Last night at bedtime I convinced her it would "help mommy" if she carried something up the stairs for me rather than continue to play with the toy that kept her from wanting to get ready for bed.
Score! Cleaning supplies got carried upstairs and bedtime progressed.
Other times, her "help" totally complicates any work I've done rather than contributing at all to completing a task. The most obvious of these times is when she closes herself in the bathroom with me and stands next to my legs declaring she is going to "help mommy."
But I've been reminded to love her heart motive even though her help usually creates more work.
And my heart has been pricked over who I am "helping," or could it be hindering?
I want to help God do good, not believing doing good things will save me, but simply because I want to be lined up with His purposes and do things for Him. Sometimes I ask what it is that I can do to most bring Him honor. But most times, I push ahead doing what I think will be helpful only later to find out I kind of messed things up.
Whether through immaturity or impulsive actions, my words, as one example, can do a whole lot of unhelp in someones heart that He has been carefully working on when I don't first ask Him how I can help.
My unskilled help, when not connected to His plans can quickly undo His work and leave my attempts just as unhelpful as Amelie's declarations to "help" me. Still I find He gives me opportunities to help. I haven't been pushed away or banned from trying to help Him.
Rather I feel reminders to slow down, reconnect with Him and become realigned with His plans.
Today I do want to be helpful and when Amelie asks to "Help Mommy," I plan to ask how I can "Help God."
1 comment:
And isn't it so cool that He lets us help, sometimes? ;)
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