Why to What

Since I was blessed to marry such an amazingly beautiful wife, it is no surprise that I am blessed to have two beautiful children. My kids like my wife are beautiful from the inside out. Recently as I entered church after dropping the wife and kids off at the front door (being the gentleman that my parents raised me to be), I was stopped by one of the members of my church. With a warm smile on her face she said, "Bryant you are blessed with such a beautiful family and that young lady of yours is the total package. She is gorgeous, has a loving heart, is smart and very talented. She is really growing up."

Truthfully though I don’t always want to admit it, my daughter is growing up right before my eyes. She is beginning to develop patterns that will help her to have a strong relationship with God and to be able to demonstrate that relationship by the way she treats and interacts with other people.

My little girl is definitely becoming a young lady. According to my wife, the other day some young men were drawn in by her attractiveness only to be snubbed when my wife announced to the “would be predators” that my daughter is only 11 years old. I guess the Lord saw fit to keep me from going to jail, since this event took place when I was not around J.

My daughter’s physical appearance is years beyond her actual age. It scares me to think that physically she has the ability at the age of 11 to conceive a child. I often think…GOD WHY ME?!?!?!? I have a long road ahead of me as it pertains to protecting her from people that will look at her from the outside 1st and not realize that her physical appearance is not a true reflection of where she is mentally and emotionally.

As children of God, we sometimes “look” older than we really are. We appear to have our lives together, to not be moved by the storms of uncertainty and to be able to conquer any adversaries that dare to cross our paths. We know how to talk the talk. From the outside it appears that we are “pros” at life. We are unshakeable and unbreakable…but…if people only knew (many times we don’t have a clue).

True maturity is being able to be transparent…transparent with God, with ourselves and with other people. True maturity is demonstrated through a “walk” that matches our”talk”.

I have found in my walk with God, the key to my maturation has revolved around a simple concept. The practice of moving from “Why to What”. In my early walk with the Lord I got so caught-up in the Why’s. Why is this happening God? Why did you allow this pain or hurt? Why didn’t you bless me in this area or that area? Why? Why? Why? I used my Why’s as an excuse to fail and I allowed the “Why’s” to impede my growth.

As I have matured, I have began to shift my focus to the “What’s”. What do you want me to learn from this God? What do you want me to do? What would you do in this circumstance? What decision would bring you glory? What is your perspective?

I don’t believe that God is too concerned with revealing the answers to our “Why’s”. I believe He wants to see “What” we are going to do. What are we going to do when we think we can get away with it? What are we going to do when we are in a position to help someone? What are we going to do when our money is tight, but there is a Kingdom need? What are we going to do when pain and hurt knock us off of our feet? What are we going to do when God doesn’t answer the “Why’s”? What are we going to do when our backs are against the wall and we can’t see our way through?

Wherever you find yourself on this journey called life, I challenge you to press toward the next level in your relationship with God by changing your “why’s” to “what’s” so that the image of maturity that you project to the world will match the level of spiritual maturity that you actually possess.

Let’s move from “Why” to What”.

Be Blessed,
B