The Ball

God, if You're allowing this pain to persist for a reason, that it may be turned into something good, then let it continue, every single moment of it. But if it's not, will You please stop it!!!!!!!

~~~

Let me tell you a story. It's not my story - not specifically - but a story you could hear from anyone, in tones of defeat and regret. It's not a nice story. But its all I have to give.

~~~

There was once a little girl who went to a park. She saw a ball that some little boys were playing with and instantly, she knew that the ball was meant to be hers. Sure, they were playing with it at that time and someone might protest if she took it away, but those were minor details. The main thing was that it was hers, and she was going to go forward and get -

A hand stopped her.

She looked up, and Daddy was shaking his head at her, sadly.

She wouldn't give up - she tried to stride forward but His hand was gentle but firm. Not one inch more. The ball so tantalisingly near yet so far. She started to weep in anger while His arms covered her and soothed her...

...but all she saw was the ball, slipping away as the boys, oblivious, moved to another corner to play. Her vision blurred with tears as she saw one boy picking up the ball and cradling it under his arm before walking away.

"Why, Daddy, why? You never gave me a ball! I want a ball to play with just like that boy! Everyone else has a ball, why not me?! Don't you love me???!!!"

"I LOVE YOU TOO MUCH TO LET YOU HAVE SECOND BEST."

"Daddy, I don't care about getting second best! THAT'S my best already! Just let me choose what I want!!"

"YOU ALWAYS HAVE A CHOICE, MY LOVE. BUT JUST THINK, HAS DADDY EVER FAILED YOU BEFORE? HAVE I EVER BROKEN MY PROMISES TO YOU?"

"No...."

"THEN TRUST ME WHEN I SAY, I HAVE SOMETHING BETTER IN MIND FOR YOU. AND WHEN I GIVE IT TO YOU, IT WILL BE PERFECT FOR YOU. MORE PERFECT THAN ANYTHING YOU CAN GET BY GRABBING OR SCHEMING."

So the girl's eyes dried and as she hugged her Father, she realised that the giver of all things good will never withhold any good thing for us. But He brings it in His own time and in His own ways. Even something as small as a ball.

~~~

OK, maybe I was lying, but I didn't mean that to become a saccharine story, one you've heard a million times before and which I've probably drawn from the mountain of cliches in my memory bank.

Sometimes, it's not just a ball that He asks you to give up, it's the attachment to it, the wanting and needing. And that can be the hardest part when you feel it would make all the difference in your life.

And that's where the problem lies, because He is the only One who can make all the difference in our lives.