Taken for Granted

“Praise the LORD, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits—

who forgives all your sins

and heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit

and crowns you with love and compassion,

who satisfies your desires with good things.”

Psalm 103:2–5

During one season in the life of one of our children, we really had to pitch in and remove as much of her stress and the demands on her time as possible. In the course of a child’s growing up, every kid will pass through such a season. Maybe it’s a difficult academic semester at school. Maybe they’re having a particular challenge with a social adjustment. Maybe their hormones are practically boiling inside them and they just need some extra space. When such seasons arise, you know that now is the time to lessen the load on their shoulders at home so they can more fully marshal their resources to face the challenge before them.

Many times, this effort goes unnoticed and unappreciated. I remember a mom in Kansas commenting on this with her daughter. “She has no idea how much I’m doing for her,” she said. “No idea! I mean, I’m happy to do it, but she really has no clue.”

It struck me that this is exactly how God must feel. Think about it: How many times are we driving down a road, about to carelessly slip into an accident, when God’s providence spares us a potentially fatal encounter? We drive on our way with only a momentary glance backward, not realizing God has miraculously intervened.