“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”
Has there ever been a time in your life that you stood with your arms crossed and your back turned against God? Pouting and fussing like a child who isn't getting their way? That is where I find myself currently. The truth is that I've been that way for a few years with the added fist shakes and the complaining questions, "why is this happening and why God would ever think I could handle this?" But God won't let me stay stuck in this downward spiral that is preventing me from moving forward. I could ignore all the ways He is gently speaking to me, but that seems to be impossible for me to do. Even in the middle of my tantrums, His presence seems to linger with gentleness and steadfast love. Allowing me to fuss as He waits patiently on the other side of my whining to bring His peace. I'm thinking at this point, God should be done with me because I'm getting on my own nerves, but God! His ways are higher than ours, and His love is unconditional and steadfast. During one of my recent fuss sessions towards God, I was reminded of a night that I googled "scriptures about NOT getting on God's nerves." I came up empty. Not in the scripture department, but I came up empty because apparently, no one else has ever googled that.
I came up empty. Not in the scripture department, but I came up empty because apparently, no one else has ever googled that.
That day I had told my wild ones that I was tired of feeding them. They had been fussing and turning their noses up at every piece of food I placed in front of them that week. They were turning their back on me while I attempted to provide them with healthy meals to nourish their bodies. I let them know their complaining was on my nerves, I was done, and that they could figure out how to feed themselves. It was only breakfast time when I made this declaration. As soon as I told my kids they were on my nerves, I walked outside to enjoy a cup of coffee and my morning devotion. Immediately I was convicted. The Holy Spirit gently prodded my heart with the question, "Do I ever get tired of feeding you when you complain more than you are grateful?" Knife in the chest!! Do you know that feeling? I knew that question was not just about being provided for physically but also about my soul being fed. I went inside after I thought I had changed my attitude. We did a devotion together before they started schoolwork, and there was more complaining and whining. I was quickly frustrated all over again. The day went on, and it never got better.
Just as I had laid in bed that night feeling defeated and googling scripture about 'not getting on God's nerves,' I am again reminded that He is faithful even when we are faithless. We turn our back towards God because we do not want to hear or do what is good for us. Like my wild ones, we turn our noses up and complain because we prefer that gallon of ice cream over our veggies.
Instead of turning our back towards God, I pray this is a reminder to turn our face towards God.
Instead of turning our back towards God, I pray this is a reminder to turn our face towards God. Even with all the questions that we feel safer asking turned away. He knows them anyway. And in the middle of our questioning and complaining, He will gently pull us closer to Him and remind us that His ways are better than our ways. As the sweet hymn, 'Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus', reminds us that when we do, "the things of earth grow strongly dim, in the light of His glory and grace."
I started a short list of scriptures about not getting on God's nerves. Take a deep breath of that grace beautiful and start one for yourself.
“Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in loving-kindness and truth.”
Exodus 34:6 NASB
“Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.”
Psalm 36:5 ESV
“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”
Psalm 103:8 ESV
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end.”
“The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
2 Peter 3:9 ESV
"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest."
Matthew 11:28 NASB
