Small Adjustments

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.” Psalm 32:8

The little girl’s bike shuddered from side to side with her sharp, awkward movement of the front wheel. She struggled in vain to make it heed her wish to go in a straight line.

“Small adjustments, honey. You just need to make small adjustments. You don’t have to move the wheel so far each time,” her daddy coached gently.

This was the scene on the bike trail between my husband and seven year old daughter.

That’s just like me and you, God. I smile.

God, who is our Shepherd, Counselor, Protector, Security, Healer, Provider, and our Source of love given and received…He is always whispering small adjustments to us.

A small adjustment in love: “I gave you all these blessings because I wanted to. Don’t waste time feeling guilty about them. Instead, thank Me for them, enjoy them, and share them.”

A small adjustment of discernment: “Right now, she doesn’t need you to ask what she did wrong. She already knows. She needs your grace…to see Me in your grace.”

A small adjustment of hard truth, wrapped always in mercy: “Do not be like the horse or mule, which have no understanding, but must be controlled by bit and bridle, or they will not come to you.” (Psalm 32:9) Trust me, and do as I ask.

I try to meet with God each morning. When I first became a Christian, I did it just because it seemed like one of the things you were supposed to do.

As years passed, my motivation has changed. Even though I rarely want to get out of bed, I look forward to meeting with this God who has graciously allowed me to know Him.

However, that is not the only reason I come. I come because I need to! We all do. We were literally created for fellowship with God. I have seen, over and over again, the absolute futility of trying to live my day without Him. Why would I ever enter into my day without asking my Guide, the Only One who knows the way through this dark world, which way we are going today?

To me, that is like deciding that I’m going to climb Mount Everest and that I’ll just figure it out as I go along.

It goes without saying that some days, or even some seasons, the “quiet time” doesn’t happen. There is a sick child or disease or a death in the family or some other extenuating circumstance. God’s grace always covers those times, and gives us what we need.

However, on the days I choose not to have this time, everything is just off. Things go wrong. I get tired quickly. I’m at a loss when asked for the ‘answer.’ Tasks seem meaningless. I lose my sense of purpose.

I’m disconnected from the Source.

Other times, I show up physically for my set-apart time with Him, but I get so caught up in the intellectual part of studying my Bible and “covering the list” of people I’m praying for, that I’m not really communicating with God Himself. It’s like He’s sitting next to me, but I’m just talking to myself and not including Him in the conversation.

It’s like going to the grocery store for the weekly shopping run, seeing all the sales and where everything is in the store, but not putting anything in your cart, and going home with no food. You leave with nothing.

Sarah Young, writer of one of my favorite devotionals called “Jesus Calling”, realized this was happening to her in her time with God. She realized the conversation was only one-sided. She intentionally listens to God by journaling, and then sitting quietly, waiting for Him to answer.

For me, I come to my quiet time with my Bible, journal, computer, and some devotionals, but I leave them all closed and just sit and listen for Him to lead me where to start. It’s clumsy and awkward, but God honors that I come without my own agenda, because I’m seeking His.

He meets me where I am. He will do the same for you.

Let us come boldly to His mercy seat with humble, seeking hearts seeking His Face!

Father, thank You so very much for the precious privilege of being able to be with You each day! Help us to each learn what really meeting with You in relationship looks like for each one of us, and give us courage to follow Your lead. Teach us and instruct us in the way that we should go, Father! Counsel us and watch over us as You promise in Your Word. In Jesus’ Name, amen.