This Is Harder Than I Thought

By Katrina Spigner –

“Your hands are too small to fix what only God can.”—Katrina Spigner

I HAVE GROWN accustomed to receiving daily updates on my three nieces, one of whom lives in North Carolina, and three of whom live in Georgia. Not long ago, my sister shared a story about her three-year-old, Jayla. Because Jayla is beginning to explore boundaries, set and push limits, she is also tapping into a greater sense of the need for her own independence. Therefore, on this particular morning as my sister was preparing Jayla for her morning commute to her nanny, Jayla asked, “May I have a banana?” In response to her request, my sister took the banana from the fruit bowl and was right on the verge of breaking the peel when Jayla yelled, “No Mommy! Let me do it!” Although my sister knew that Jayla had never peeled a banana before, in her wisdom she handed the banana to her anyway.

With sheer delight, Jayla commenced her attempt to break open the peel on the banana. She bent, she pulled, she tussled, and she made faces and grunts. Jayla tried and tried with all her might to peel her banana, but to no avail. Finally, after many failed attempts and fatigued frustration, she looked up at her Mom with eyes of apologetic surrender and said in her most childlike fashion, “This is harder than I thought.” Knowing all along that Jayla would not be able to accomplish the task on her own, my sister gently took the banana back and simply said, “Here, I’ll help you.”

That is the way it is with many of us. We go to God in prayer asking him for our heart’s desires. As he attempts to prepare all we have asked for, we interrupt him even before he gives it to us, with our own “No God! Let me do it!” Knowing that we will not be able to accomplish the tasks on our own, he still hands it over to us. We tussle and tug, struggle and manipulate, grow weary and fail. It is at this point that we come to realize…“This is harder than I thought.”

What are the things you have asked God for, yet taken out of his hands and tried to fix yourself? Think about how much easier it would be if you handed whatever it is back to him in total surrender. He is waiting just to say, “Here, I’ll help you.” 

FIND YOUR INSPIRATION JOURNALING

Monday: In what ways have you taken the matters of your life into your own hands? What has been the outcome?

Tuesday: What have you asked God to do in your life? How have you prevented him from doing what you have asked because of your inability to let go?

Wednesday: What obstacles keep you from surrendering to God’s help?

Thursday: Make a list of the “hard things” you are currently facing in your life. What do you need to do to surrender them to God?

Friday: Write a prayer to God asking him for his help in the hard things.

Saturday: How comfortable are you with trusting God to orchestrate his plans for your life…really?

Sunday: As you reflect back on this week, how have you grown in your faith?

Final Word: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” —Psalm 46:1

A Christian Author, Speaker, and Personal & Executive Coach, Katrina engages those seeking a purposeful path that leads to living a more fulfilling life. Katrina is the author of two books: This Is for You!:31 Days of Life‐Changing Discoveries and G.I.F.T.: Growing In Faith Today! For more information, visit http://www.katrinanow.com/.