Fixer Upper

I have something in common with Joanna Gaines -- we're both fixer uppers.  She likes to fix houses.  I like to fix problems.  

It's been awhile since I've learned a good spiritual lesson.  It's certainly not because I've been on my game in my walk with God; it's quite the opposite.  I've been coasting along, acknowledging the Lord and living what I believe, but not really spending a whole lot of time with Him along the way.  Not coincidentally, if I'm not investing in that relationship, things get kinda quiet.

In the last few weeks as I've walked with a friend through her trials, I found myself frustrated for not being able to just "fix" the issues she was facing.  I thought back to when my best friend Michelle first shared with me her newfound faith almost 20 years ago.  My response to her:  I'm doing ok on my own and God can spend His time taking care of the big issues of world hunger and peace.  Though I now know He loves little old me while still caring about world hunger and peace, it's obvious that my life-long "thorn in the flesh" that Paul speaks of will always be a struggle with self-sufficiency.  Sinful patterns I've fallen into in this area have included:

I can take care of this myself.  Why pray about it?

This is a great idea.  Why ask the Lord if it's His plan for me?

My advice is sound.  Why ask God if I should be the one to give it?  

This needs to happen now.  Why wait on God's timing?

If I don't do it, nobody will.  Why trust God to raise another leader?

In the case of my friend this week, my hands were tied and I couldn't be the fixer I like to be.  This wasn't easy for me to accept.  As I thought about it, I realized the Lord has been showing me how to trust Him with her trials because I was literally powerless to do anything but be present for her, point her to Him, and pray.  

And then I laughed at myself for being so dumb.  

...because just being present and not ducking out is one of the most important things you can do for someone going through a trial.

...because pointing someone to the Lord is the wisest way to help a person when they are struggling.  

...because praying for someone is the most powerful thing any one of us can do for anyone. 

While I was powerless by this world's standards, Kingdom standards made me the exact opposite.  Paul said of the nuisance of the thorn in his flesh,

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” ... Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me... For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Let's face it; self-sufficiency is just a fancy hyphenated word for being a control freak.  When I did finally realize the need to give up the doing, and that loving could possibly be enough, what I saw God do in my friend's life completely blew away what would have come from me spinning my wheels in the futility of trying to "fix."

The very self-sufficient tendencies that drive me to fix are the same tendencies that drive me right past the actual people who I'm called to love.  Something to do becomes more enticing than someone to love.  Where does that even fit into a Kingdom where Jesus declares that the best way to exercise your faith is to love God and love people?

I'll just stick to loving the people and let God be the fixer upper.