The gifts that God gives us aren’t always what we expect, aren’t always what we ask for. He promises things like joy and peace and protection. But we all know that we don’t walk around day in and day out all happy and not worrying and kept from all kinds of harm. He promises us things in a different realm, he gives us things that fall more into the category of what we need, what he knows we need.
My daughter is a gorgeous specimen. She is full of life and huge laughter and wit and she’s smart and beautiful and compassionate. Her journey is similar to mine in the family department – daughters of divorce – but she gratefully has had Jesus for a good ten years already, walking her through it all.
She is already learning lessons that I didn’t learn until the past few years. She is already hearing about boundaries and forgiveness and respecting someone because we are called to and choosing when to speak certain words.
And the cool part, as my mentor (who is also her mentor now) pointed out to us, she is already being entrusted with gifts. With information and confirmation. With little glimpses of what is really going on, that she’s not crazy, that what she’s been told is going on is really going on. The power of seeing things for yourself cannot be overestimated.
Jesus knew she needed this. Jesus has seen her growth and trusted her with this. And Jesus knows that she can handle this knowledge. It’s not a gift that she ever would have asked for. To see these things, to know these things already. But I believe that he will use these things in her life not only to protect her future choices, but also to bring comfort to others along the way.
What hard gifts has Jesus entrusted to you that he might want you to share with others?
If this post helped you, “Moving On as a Christian Single Mom” is for you, found here.