Living in the Place of Trust

"It's time to pick up the toys!” 

The church nursery workers look forward to announcing this.

(The toddlers often have a different opinion). 

One of our boys knew the significance of this statement and taught me a valuable lesson this week. 

Unlike most of the children, he wasn’t too thrilled about being in the nursery.

He missed his mom.

He knew she would be back “in a little bit” (whatever that translates into in a 3-year-old mind).  But he also knew she would only come back after the toys had been put away.

So ten minutes into nursery time, he started picking up toys. 

Toys picked up meant mom was coming back, nursery time was over, and life would be better.

Time wasn’t going by fast enough. 

Maybe this would turn the clock.

It was cute to watch a 3-year-old mind work this way.

Not so cute when I saw a mirror-image of myself in that 3-year-old-picking-up-toys.

Seasons come and go—in nature and in life.  But sometimes I want to hurry them up. 

Like the boy eager to do the last thing required before his unwanted “season” was over, I grasp at things that might mean life can be different.

We, the mature nursery workers, tried to distract the toddler; tried to speak reality to him. 

The toys were fun. 

Something to enjoy right now; not something to put away.

We knew the toys could be a source of joy, if he would accept them as better than what he wanted instead. 

But the 3-year-old had made up his mind that playing with toys wasn’t best.

What he didn’t realize was that putting the toys  away would never change the fact that playing with them was his “calling” right then.

“In a little bit” that would change. In the meantime, life would be happier for him (and for those around him) if he would trust those of us who had the bigger perspective.

We watched as the discontented toddler struggled to see the joy of the present.

And I envisioned my heavenly Father watching the same thing in me.

He has provided what He wants me to be occupied with right now.

Trying to put it all away only destroys my peace and joy.

Our God can read the clock.

Our job is to occupy ourselves with the gifts He’s given now, and trust His perspective for tomorrow.

When we live in that place of trust, “in a little bit” we’ll hear Him say: “It's time to pick up the toys.”

What about you? What helps you live today’s season in the place of trust?