A boy once said to God, “I know what I want when I grow up.” He proceeded to give God his list: to live in a big house with two Saint Bernard's; to marry a tall, blue-eyed woman; to have three sons - one who will be a senator, one a scientist, and the other a quarterback. He also wanted to be a mountain climber and drive a red Ferrari.
As it turned out, the boy hurt his knee one-day while playing football. He could no longer climb trees, much less mountains. He married a beautiful and kind woman who was short with brown eyes. Because of his business, he lived in an apartment in the city and usually rode the subway. He had three loving daughters, and they adopted a fluffy cat.
One daughter became a nurse, one an artist and the third a music teacher. One morning the man awoke and remembered his boyhood dream. He became extremely depressed.
Heartbroken, he called out to God, “Remember when I was a boy and told You all the things I wanted? Why didn't You give me those things?”
“I could have,” said God, “but I wanted to make you happy.”
Author Unknown
Moral of the story
We often chase things that we think will make us happy: money, a beautiful woman, a big house, a fast car, success in our career and success in other areas. When we don't get these things, we can get down. Sometimes we even blame God for not answering our prayers. But how are we to know we would have been happier if we got these things? As Isaiah 55:8-9 says, God's wisdom and His ways are infinitely higher and better than ours can ever be:
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord.
"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
Life is full of ups and downs, twists and turns. Rather than trying to achieve everything the way we want, we should trust God will allow things to happen in His perfect order. God yearns for each of us to build an intimate relationship with Him, and He knows what is best for each of us.
3 comments:
Hi JL:)
Very interesting post with factual wisdom.
It is said that man proposes and God disposes.He definitely knows what is good for us.Sometimes we are put through a severe test just as JOB was tested.In the end everything works out well. I have seen people in utter poverty,people without limbs laugh better than we do and live a life of peace and satisfaction.This is because they are able to accept their situation in life.Only those restless people who want more and more will find it hard to live a satisfied life.
Many times I have myself thought that I should have been that or I should have had that and so on.These thoughts only made me feel miserable and spoiled my day. Now I try to accept things as they are and I only pray to God to help me adapt. understand and change to suit my prevailing circumstance.
Happiness is a state of mind. Riches,property,fame etc. will not give happiness.So many rich and famous people committed suicide because they could not find happiness.Marilyn Monroe is one example.
Life is a blind alley.Sometimes we across situations which confounds and confuses us.Yet if we pray hard God will surely show a way for us which may not be the way that we wanted but a way that is good for us.
I enjoyed reading your thought provoking post.
Best wishes:)
Joseph
Hi Joseph,
Thank you for your eloquent and thoughtful comment. I also feel that material success does not necessarily bring happiness. Of course, everybody wants to have a decent livelihood but we should not get too obsessed with worldly items. I've come across people who are materially rich but not very pleasant individuals. Look at today's celebrities. They seem to have everything, yet many of them are unhappy people. Greed is the cause of so many problems in our world.
A few weeks ago I watched a television documentary about Mother Teresa. I was struck by what she said. She said we should love poverty because when you are poor you truly appreciate God. I know that it's difficult for most of us to be like Mother Teresa but I think she has a valid point. Often rich people are too comfortable in their lives to even think about God, but ultimately true fulfilment comes from following Him.
Best wishes,
JI.
Hi JI,
I stumbled upon your blog, and found it interesting.
I like your stories. You have a simple and clean style of narration. You bring out the morale of the story so well. Congratulations.
I was particularly struck with the "childhood dreams".
Childhood is is a time of dreams. Each moment of each day brims with new dreams. The world seems so vast and ineffable the child's dreams catch fire and they soar to the skies. As we group up and grow old, we still keep dreaming. Our dreams get dusted, rusted, and clumsy, though. Yet, how often do I remember that I am a beautiful dream sparked in the heart of God!
My dreams will be true and my happiness complete when my dreams are mirror images of the dreams of God for me.
You are right, our dreams are characterised by our longings glued on the attractions and fascinations of the passing world. In this rush of life, what I think of happiness would be more a realm of "imagination" and "perception of fantacy". I feel wealth, positions, physical beauty and political/commercial power are the ultimate means of happiness. God, as a loving Father knows what is best for me. I should be thankful that He does not aways give me what I pray for. He gives what is best for me, and only the best!
That is the greatness of our God.
Thanks for the inspiring piece. Keep inspiring. You are more than welcome to visit my site of reflections and meditations. If you find it worth, conisder following it... Smile of the word. http://thayil-james.blogspot.com/
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