I like fairy tales.
I'm a sucker for happily ever after.
And Cinderella is one of my favorite stories.
The whole idea of rags to riches is appealing. Even more so is the idea of a Prince Charming who sweeps you off your feet. And wow! He even scours the kingdom looking for you when you run off!
And oh, who wouldn't love the whole idea of a glass slipper made just for you – one that fits perfectly! (Or any shoe that fits perfectly, right?!)
(Guys reading this? Sorry. Use your imagination and insert something that would be built just for you! And maybe Princess Charming??)
I have to admit, sometimes in my walk with God, I want a fairy tale.
Real life is really tough sometimes.
And it sure would be nice to have things turn out happily ever after once in awhile, huh?
And this is where I realize what sort of God I usually want.
I want a God who comes to my rescue, and sweeps me off my feet.
I want a God who scours the kingdom looking for me when I run off.
I want a God who makes life fit me *just right.*
I want a God who makes all the bad stuff go away.
I want a Cinderella God.
Do you?
Of course, we know in our minds that life isn't always going to be wonderful. But sometimes, in our hearts, don't we wish it was?
And don't we sometimes blame God when it isn't?
I know I do.
Knowing that God can do anything, I sometimes really struggle with those times when He doesn't intervene.
Why does He let suffering happen?
Why does evil run rampant?
Why does He sometimes withhold His presence?
I sometimes feel like a modern-day Job.
Job was an everyman. I think he asked and wondered about and battled the same age-old questions that confront every human being at one time or another.
The mystery of "bad"…
Sometimes this dilemma is even harder for me to deal with when I look at Jesus.
Shouldn't He have fixed everything?
He did, but still…
Even now, couldn't He fix EVERY…THING???
Truth be told, I want a comfortable God, with a shoe that fits *just right.* A life that runs smoothly, and a heart that never struggles with fear or doubt.
I want a God who answers prayers – my prayers – my way.
So often when I pray, God answers me in ways that I don't want.
I pray for more faith, and He allows more trials.
I pray for ease, and He allows testing.
I pray for peace, and He allows unsettling circumstances.
I pray for patience, and He gives me situations that require endurance.
I pray for comfort, and He pushes to develop character.
I pray for happiness, and He allows suffering.
This list could on and on – and you could add your own stuff to it.
For each of us struggles with wanting a Cinderella God.
But, God is not a fairy tale.
He is not a cosmic genie-in-the-sky.
He isn't worried about pleasing us, or fulfilling our whims.
He doesn't jump through our hoops, say "how high" when we say leap, or bow at our feet.
If He did, He wouldn't be God.
And even as much as I'd like to tell Him how to act, I'm really glad I can't control Him.
After all, I don't want someone in charge who has me for a boss!
I guess if I'm honest, I don't really want a Cinderella God.
I just want God.
God in all His mysterious, unpredictable, awesome ways.
And hey, He is a dream come true…
HE IS a God who comes to my rescue, and sweeps me off my feet.
HE IS a God who scours the kingdom looking for me when I run off.
HE IS a God who makes life fit me *just right* in His ultimate wisdom.
And though He isn't a God who makes all the bad stuff go away, HE IS a God who loves me and is working all things for good.
HE IS a God of purpose.
The One who lifted me from the dirty ashes of slavery, and invited me to the dance. The One who desired to make me part of the Kingdom. The One who knows me by name, and fashions me into something new and beautiful.
Jesus is my Prince Charming…
…and once upon a time, I asked Him into my heart.
Maybe the story isn't a bed of roses all the time.
That's OK – I know how it ends…
…Happily ever after.
 | |||
I believe in the sun even when it's not shining. I believe in love even when I don't feel it. I believe in God even when He is silent. (These words were found scrawled on a cellar wall where Jews had hidden in World War II in Cologne, Germany) |
"The LORD Almighty has sworn, 'Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen.'" (Isaiah 14:24, NIV)
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11, ESV)
"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand." (Proverbs 19:21, ESV)
"...the LORD's plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken." (Psalm 33:11, NLT)
"For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength." (1 Corinthians 1:25, NIV)
"'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.'"
(Isaiah 55:8-9, ESV)
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28, NIV)
"How great are your works, LORD, how profound your thoughts!"
(Psalm 92:5, NIV)
What is something you grapple with - and how are you learning to love the actual God, and not your "version" of Him?
Linked today with:
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BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"
I remember listening to a sermon about God's wisdom and the pastor concluded that though we pray and tell God what we think we need, wouldn't we rather have a God that calls us to bend His way, not a God that bends to our desires. I thought about that for quite awhile. I have no idea what the big picture is...but God does. I have no idea what is best for me. Bending to His will and desire makes so much more sense. And challenges me to trust. I don't want a Cinderella God either.
ReplyDeleteHi Sharon! We just had the passage from St. Paul at church, that the Spirit prays for us, because we don't know 'how to pray as we ought.' Seems like I always want God to do it my way, in my time. But the Spirit knows better, and prays that I will handle what I've been given.
ReplyDeleteHe knows best how I will learn. And he has the plan. Like you said, he'll be our Savior, and our Prince Charming :)
Blessings,
Ceil
"He is a God of purpose". I find great comfort in this today Sharon.
ReplyDeleteI loved this, Sharon. We might want a Cinderella God, but we really don't in the long run want a god made in our image; we want a God that we were made in his image. One that is more than capable of handling anything that comes our way in his perfect timing, way, and will. I love the God that we serve and am so thankful he is the way that he is; perfect! And the nice thing is we will live happily ever after for all of eternity!
ReplyDeletebetty
All of this is so true, and I am guilty of some of the very same feelings, many times over. And in the end, aren't we so GLAD that we are made to conform to his image, not him to ours. Creator and created... potter and clay, with all the bumps, bruises and detours along the way as he does his work in us, always for the best outcome for us.
ReplyDeleteI always seem to be on 'the same page' with you! :)
Sharon ... so much deep fatih woven here today. So grateful to be your next door neighbor at Kelli's ... so fine to meet you!
ReplyDeleteBlessings as we head into this week ...
Beautiful Sharon and a happily ever after to you and each of us as we learn to journey through our bed of roses, stopping to smell them and melting into the arms of our Beloved "Prince Charming… Jesus ... "He is a dream come true…
ReplyDeleteHE IS a God who comes to my rescue, and sweeps me off my feet.
HE IS a God who scours the kingdom looking for me when I run off.
HE IS a God who makes life fit me *just right* in His ultimate wisdom.
And though He isn't a God who makes all the bad stuff go away, HE IS a God who loves me and is working all things for good.
HE IS a God of purpose.
The One who lifted me from the dirty ashes of slavery, and invited me to the dance.
The One who desired to make me part of the Kingdom.
The One who knows me by name, and fashions me into something new and beautiful."
I loved how you summed HIM up, as I try to see Him as a REAL God; in control, in His perfect timing, in His own image (not the one I "box" Him into) ... if He was a wanna be God, we would not want Him as our God, and just perhaps, all that is happening, like in Israel, Russia, the world ... would stop and bow to the Great I am, as silent as He may seem, He is not ... and we await (with our impatient misconstrued desires of what He should do or be) His final battle of redemption, hoping and praying for the 'happily ever after' ending we place our beliefs and trust in the Victor's Crown and bow to His ultimate authority. For He is God and we are not ... all power, honor and glory belongs to the King of kings! Once again, you have woven a wonderful tale of such penned glory to Him. Thank you!
Blessings, HUGs and JOY,
Peggy
and as per your question, what don't I grapple with ... but when it all comes down to Him, I must trust Him, listen more closely to Him, obey Him more diligently in everything, love Him more dearly by how I show His love to others, follow Him more closely, as I attempt to be 'chiseled' into His image (not Him into my image of Him-I really liked that and it's so apropo to last week's post here)' see God more clearly as He IS (not a Cinderella fella but a REALITY GOD) ... hoping to grapple less and less and just accept Him as He has me (a fallen worm) but all HIS!
Hi Sharon - another thought-provoking and thorough post. I remember when I first learned about sovereign God - I felt like Paul "...when I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child..." I went to my Cinderella God and wondered why I wasn't getting my happily ever after. There was definitely a time of perception-, thought-, and attitude-shifting. Now I'm at what I call Theology 101 - God is God, I'm not. I just want to shout his name and glorify him and fall on my knees in thanks for Jesus. Thank you for your clear words and thoughtful message.
ReplyDeleteBest part of the whole thing:
ReplyDelete"And even as much as I'd like to tell Him how to act, I'm really glad I can't control Him.
After all, I don't want someone in charge who has me for a boss!"
I have thought that so many times (after having wrestled for a while with the first part just exactly like you wrote.) I think I know why the first book ever written in the Word was Job. I think that maybe we (man) really and truly needed to get that from the beginning.
I loved the way you wrote this, Sharon. Maybe it's because I'm such a Cinderella girl myself. (Or maybe it's because it's nice to know that someone I respect as much as I respect you struggles with this same temptation. )
As much as the idea of a Cinderella God seems appealing at first, it would be a fantasy and not at all the God of the Bible. I think He understands us when we temporarily want him to do things our way...after all, he made us imperfectly human. We don't want or need a god who bows down to us, whether we fantasize about having one or not. Sharon, this was such a great post...God Bless you!
ReplyDeleteI love how direct you are in your writing. I love even more how you direct all the the focus upon Him. He is good- no matter what. He stays good and everything He brings is good. Its a struggle to say "it is well with my soul" when everything in me wants to shout it is not. Still He is constant. Still He is present. Still He is good. Beautiful post!
ReplyDeleteMy middle daughter as a young girl got the words "happily ever after" and "everlasting life" mixed up with each other. After a movie that ending in a way that satisfied her down to her toes, she sighed and said, "Oh, I just knew they'd have everlasting life!"
ReplyDeleteThat family story being said, I'm so thankful that Jesus relentlessly pursued me, that He still woos me and draws me close to His heart.
First off Sharon, I love your "Blessedly Leaning On God!" And I reaaally love that I don't have a Cinderella God. A God that does it 'my' way? No way. Where will all the joy go; the aah! moments; the 'Oh my God!' moments (with hands placed over the mouth, too happy to scream - if I know He's going to do it 'just the way I want it'?
ReplyDeleteI love His twists, His methods and how I could never know the next method He is going to employ to deal with a situation around me - my situation. I love that He is God, my God and though I sometimes will wish He'd be a Cinderella God to me, I'm glad He doesn't.
Yes, Yes, Yes, :)
ReplyDeleteI just want God. Yes! If we could just remember that He alone is enough and that all He asks of us is to seek Him. Lovely post, Sharon. Thanks for linking up today!
ReplyDeleteI love this post! We can have a lot of expectations, or we can just allow God to do His thing. In the end, He works miracles, whether we understand them at the time or not.
ReplyDeleteI love the honesty of your struggle, Sharon. God uses that, you know. In big ways. Trusting God, the rock solid faith that He is good - ALL THE TIME is the garment we must wear to this dance He has invited us to. Because He HAS conquered the bad guy - death and the grave - and one day, in the end, we will enter into that PEACE and rest with Him. Have a blessed week, Sharon! May the Lord increase our faith.
ReplyDeleteThis is where I am right now: "I pray for comfort, and He pushes to develop character." And oh how this is the opposite of comfort but it is because I am trying to find comfort in the world and not in Him. So, I can find gratitude for this. But it's still hard.
ReplyDeleteYes, you've hit it here. We are all Cinderella needing deliverance from such a dysfunctional environment. I've always felt that way. And, as noted in my own manuscript, well - not all those fables and fairy tales end happily ever after. Sometimes there are consequences to be walked out. Praise God He holds me fast in the walking!
ReplyDeleteNow as to your Carving Deeper story from last week which I only now have gotten to read - Humph! Now what am I going to do with my Cameo Christian manuscript? You've written my book! Gah - I never get through the door first. Ah, well - going forward anyway. That's the second proposal I need to pull together this week. Your post inspired and confirmed my premise - thanks!!!
Joy!
Kathy
Sorry, the comment took on a life of its own and published. :-)
ReplyDeleteI love the words, "If I'm honest, I just want God." Exactly. I've found a real ache in my spirit to know God more. Sometimes I so all about writing that I forget to take time just to learn about God without any thought of "that would make a good post." Maybe I'm the only one who has a hard time shutting that part of my brain off. God's still workin' on me! ~Pamela
"We want a cinderella God." Yes, but then also I think of all those years of labor, grief and loss Cinderella lived through, that's a part of the story we cannot forget. And I've never thought a glass shoe sounded very comfortable! Thanks for linking with Unforced Rhythms.
ReplyDeleteLOVE this post! <3
ReplyDeleteYou've nailed it on the head--I want a Cinderella God! But now that I'm aware of that, I can learn to love the real God. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI particularly like the World War II quote.
your neighbor on Coffee for Your Heart
As I was reading along, I thought, "Yes, I want a Cinderella God too!" But as I kept going, I got your point: "I just want God." Yes. God is more than enough as is. Thanks for this, Sharon.
ReplyDeleteI want a fairy tale God too! Life is easier with Him than without, but still not easy. I love the pic of Marty. Beagles are the best.
ReplyDeleteIt's easy to sometimes question why this happens or that falls apart, to wonder why God doesn't just, as you say, "fix everything." But we live in a fallen world, where we have the freedom of choice, where the laws of nature and the laws of the harvest and the laws of gravity have their way whenever they are broken. One day, we will live in a place of perfection, but until that day, the things I've learned in the midst of trials are priceless.
ReplyDeleteLoved this post, Sharon....as usual. :) I think the thing I am struggling most with right now is my need to know how God is working in our lives. We stand at a crossroads, feeling the weight of impending change, but not knowing what to do or when to do it. God has always led us with what I call "gentle urges", and I know, in His own time and way, He will lead us again. It is hard for me to wait upon His answers, and I just seem to need a plan laid out in front of me. I know this is not how He works, so I struggle with the "need-to-know-basis" doling of information and instruction. And as I struggle...I wait upon Him and believe He is renewing my strength. So thankful for you and your thought-provoking, edifying blog. God bless you, my friend.
ReplyDeletethis is sooooo empowering and hope generating. Thanks. Sharon. I love the quote and verses. When our family heads hits the road in search of an adventure, and the kids have no idea where we're going, they always say, 'mom has plans and whatever it is, it's going to be fun.' I think of God like that. He's always got plans and whatever they are and however long it takes to get to them, I know there going to be amazing. Happy Friday, Sharon.
ReplyDeleteYour posts are always so amazing and filled with inspiration.
ReplyDeleteGreat analogy Sharon! He is our ever-after. All we need! Grace, mercy, and love. Thanks so much for sharing this at CMB!
ReplyDeleteHi Sharon,
ReplyDeleteLoved reading your post today, thanks so much. So thankful for my God and His higher ways and perfect plan. Cannot wait to see His face.
You don't have to be a girl to get this. We all want what Adam and Eve did… our way. I ponder sometimes how my life and soul has been changed by not getting what I wanted, how I've been rescued from my own selfish desire that would have ruined me and or my family, and yet our Father protects us and bestows His perfect will in our lives. When we find out all the places we were carried on this side of the curtain I think we're going to be amazed.
ReplyDeleteThought provoking post, Sharon. Well done, you have me pondering again! That's not always comfortable, but always good...
All I want is God. Amen to that, Sharon! People of faith do all struggle with these questions. The psalms are full of records similar accounts of "Why God?" Learning to trust in the midst of not understanding--another matter and dimension of faith. Good stuff, Sharon. Thanks so much.
ReplyDeleteThrough it all, God is God and our desire is to "Know" Him better and better. The closer we get to Him, "His desires" become "our desires," and we walk in his will because we are one with him. Your thoughts are profound and we certainly don't want a Cinderella God, but one who tells me that I am His Princess. Thank you for sharing your lovely post with us here at “Tell Me a Story.”
ReplyDeleteYep, I would love a Cinderella God but knowing His character, I know who He is is much, much better and doesn't end at midnight. Liked what you wrote today. Blessings, Linda
ReplyDeleteLove, love, love, love, LOVE this, Sharon. This one cut me right to the core. I do admit that I often want a God who just waves a magic wand, says Bippity-boppity-boo and all my troubles melt away.
ReplyDeleteBut then if all my troubles were gone... I wouldn't really need God, right? #OhSnap
Thanks for sharing this over at #EverydayJesus. You are such a treasured part of our community!
Yes, Sharon!! I completely agree! I am the same way and want the fairy tale. Thanks for the reminder that He is our prize and is enough to fill those voids inside. I appreciate you sharing at the Saturday Soiree Blog Party!
ReplyDelete