When someone is struggling, there are two general responses that we have as helpers: we can do it for them or we can teach them to do it themselves.
I confess that I am more often the former - I am capable of doing many things, and a lot of the time, it's just simpler to me to do it myself so that someone else doesn't have to worry about it or try to figure it out. But this approach doesn't always feel good. More often than not, it feels exhausting. First, obviously, because I am taking on more than my fair share, but second, because it puts me in a pattern of taking on more than my fair share. Every time I jump up and do something for others, rather than teach them how to do it for themselves, I am setting myself to jump up more quickly the next time.
And there will be a next time.
Our God is a God of the other way. Our God is a Teacher.
God teaches us how to do things for ourselves. He teaches us how to avoid temptation...or escape it. He teaches us how to treat others. He teaches us how to worship. At every turn, God is trying to teach us something. Psalm 25 says, "Immensely good and honorable is the Lord; that's why He teaches sinners the way."
He teaches sinners the way because it's part of His goodness that we should be learning and not only leaning. That we should be growing and not always nourishing at the breast. That we should be standing taller, even while we're falling down.
Part of God's good and glorious plan is that we would learn the ways of the Lord.
We know, of course, that our understanding will always be limited. That there are things we just aren't going to get. That there are things that, even if we get them, we will continue to keep messing up. We know that we will always be dependent upon the grace of God and the sacrifice of His Son; without it, we are nothing.
But thank God that He doesn't leave us miserable and broken and wallowing and wandering (and wondering); thank God that He is a Good Teacher and that, in His immense goodness, He is always trying to teach us sinners the way.
The right way.
The good way.
The honorable way.
The Lord's way.
If only we are willing to learn....
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