I would have done it in 5

“Did you know that God actually made the world in only six days and that He got to rest on the seventh?” Lorelai asked sweetly from the backseat as we started a long road trip this past weekend. Before I could even answer or embark on what I expected to be a joyful discussion of the beauty of God’s creation, Lorelai continued her line of thinking with “You know, if it was me, I would have done it in 5 so that I could rest by Day 6!” Oh my goodness. John and I looked at each other and just busted out laughing. I told him that she was “such a Smith” thinking that if God could do it in 6 days, that she could do it in 5! However, once the initial laughter at that comment subsided, I began to really pray for Lorelai’s heart. Her words reflected not only a “Smith” trait, but a human condition to truly believe that our timing is surely better than God’s, especially when we are looking to the end result. You see, Lorelai’s main reason for doubling up the work on day 5 was to get to the rest earlier. I mean, why wouldn’t God just work faster if He gets to rest at the end? Why drag it out for 6 whole days? Why put off the rest? While I know that God is all powerful and could have done it all with excellence on Day 1, I am glad that He didn’t take any shortcuts on that 6th day, the day of making mankind. He loves us so much and took His time in molding us and breathing life into us, and this teaches us such an important lesson. When we are doing the work of God, there is no need to rush. It is not better to finish it faster. The next thing He has for us, even if it is rest after a long labor, is not the goal. The goal is to enjoy the work that God has for us right now. Often times our standard is to check things off the list as fast as possible in order to enjoy what comes next, and so we rush the process and forget to relish the joy of doing life with Him. Other times, we find ourselves in situations where God has promised us rest or change from a season we are in, and we start questioning why things remain the same with no end in sight. And, just like Lorelai, we assume that God just never thought about doing it our way and that if He was as smart as us that He would have finished His work faster and moved us along to where we want to be. And so we pray from a heart that is waiting for God to come around to our way of thinking instead of a grateful heart that is thankful for what God has provided right now. Oh how I do not want this posture of prayer for my children. Those simple words from Lorelai have prompted me to pray for all of my girls in a new way- that when they find themselves questioning the Lord’s timing in a season of their lives, that they would humbly approach the Lord in faith, knowing that His ways are higher and better. I pray that they would grow up to be women who are grateful and content and seek to be more like the Lord, not for the Lord to be more like them. Meanwhile, I also pray that the Lord will mold the hearts of their parents to model this for them while they are young….I would like Him to have completed that work in us already, that’s what I would have done, but I guess I will enjoy Him as He takes His time molding us into His likeness and chuckle when I get antsy and He gently reminds me of how silly I sound by whispering  “I would have done it in 5!”