God's Whispers

It is hard not to be haunted by what should have been. It is equally difficult to ignore what should be by now. Whether in our own personal lives, careers, education, or religion we live in the shadow of great expectations. Are they our own expectations of ourselves? Are they profoundly influential expectations of our parents ... expectations that still live in our hearts and minds? Do we think God expected more out of us and is fairly disappointed in us? We can find ourselves in the position of giving God very little credit, as if He is obligated to agree with our parents, or our priests, or our own perceptions. So we find very little acceptance or respite from our fears in his arms. He is the father who never could say, "I love you". He is the father who never could be pleased. He is the father who in the critical moments doesn't come through for us. And in this view of Him, we shortchange His race and doubt His mercy. In the quiet moments we reflect on our days and we feel that so little has been accomplished. We know we could have worked harder, and we know that our failures belong to us. It is then that we need to hear the gentle whipser of His acceptance. And what would God whisper in your ear? I think God whispers into the Christian's ear, "I know ... and it's ok." I don't think He would lie to us and tell us we were really grand, if we were not. I don't think He would gloss over our failure and say, "It was probably a lot better than you thought." I think He would just like us to know that He knows. Whatever has happened, He knows. And He loves, more than any other. Peter went outside and wept bitterly after his denials. Our Father knew Peter's pain and on the beach later Jesus would basically say to Peter, "I know...and it's ok." God accepts us more than we accept ourselves. He knows our weakness. He knows our hearts. Let's back away from our great expectations of ourselves. Instead, let's let God decide who is worth loving and accepting. "You never thought you'd be alone this far down the line and I know what's been on your mind, you're afraid it's all been wasted time. ...And maybe someday we will find that it wasn't really wasted time." -- Don Henley / Glenn Frey