The Suggestion Box

Have you ever seen those boxes in offices and other places that serve you that ask you to leave a note so that they can better your experience next time?  Well if you have, you probably know that usually the only people that actually participate and leave a note are either extremely happy about their experience or very angry about it.  The suggestions probably don't help at all because they don't get an accurate sampling of people.  Anyway, I have one of those boxes for God.  But He didn't put it there because He doesn't need or want my suggestions for my life to be better in my eyes.  However, I have the box nonetheless and I typically go to it when I am angry or extremely happy with something God is doing in my life.  For example, when God gives me something awesome, like good grades for the semester, I'm like, "Yeah!  Hey God, could you make sure that keeps happening?"  Conversely, if God asks me to do something particularly difficult, I respond with something more along the lines of, "Hey....so God, do I have to?  I really don't want to so please don't make me."  Its always been extremely hard for me to just let go and let things happen that glorify God, especially when I really want something to go my way. 
How could I sit there and have the arrogance to shove my suggestion box before a holy and sovereign God that already has a plan?  Yes, He's concerned about how I feel and what's going on in my life, but that's because He loves me, not because He wants to shift and mold my life according to what I want.  Especially since what He has planned is usually SO much better.  Anyway, so if your suggestion box is stuffed with suggestion after suggestion for God, complaints overflowing and happiness only coming from when your plans match up with His, throw the entire metaphorical box in the trash.  Because its not getting you anywhere.  Wow, looking back on that I was just really blunt.  But its true and I think it will help all of us grow and mature in our faith, so thank you and good night :)

I can't be the water.

So there's something truly beautiful, truly amazing, truly astounding and metaphorical about the beach.  The sand, the sometimes grinding, sometimes soft material that goes between your toes and everywhere that just won't go away is us.  By us I mean humanity.  Because humanity has a tendency to stick to us.  We want to stay those beings that are often only soft occasionally when we want to be.  It doesn't matter how much you try to smooth out sand, it always looks worse. But the ocean, that's God.  We can try and try to smooth out ourselves, but it can never look as perfect as when the sea sweeps gently over the sand, making it pure again.  Making us whole and smooth again.  Stop trying.  Just lay there and let the ocean of God sweep over your soul.  Take time to read His word, and let His beauty sweep over you.  Absorb the warmth and comfort of His creation and let the waves creep softly up your skin and into your soul, holy, pure, and healthy with God as you become smooth and new again.  Say to yourself, "I can't be the water. I'm not enough to change me."  Those crashing and beautiful waves can change your life once you let go.