Chuck was working with me at the little country church where I pastored at the time. He was just a little guy, about three. He left his books on the floor of my study and made his way to the restroom. He was gone a little longer than I thought he should be so I went to check on him. The restroom door often stuck at this time of the year, due to the humidity. I wanted to make sure he wasn’t stuck.
As I approached the door I could hear him singing while he washed his hands. I decided to have a little fun with him. I held my foot against the door. In a minute I felt the weight of his little body pushing against the door. I didn’t budge. Then I heard him say “I’m tough, I’m tough.” He must have backed up and run at the door because there was a little interval of quiet and then a thud on the door. It didn’t budge. Then at the top of his lungs he cried out desperately; “Daaaaaaaaaad.”
The fear in his voice touched my heart and I quickly pulled open the door. We laughed. But I had that feeling again. The feeling that God is breaking though to my heart with a lesson. When I come up against a difficult problem I threw all my weight against it.
I say “I’m tough, I’m tough.” And sometimes when I give it everything I have I find that problems give way. But there are those times when every ounce of strength I can muster, every bit of creativity at my disposal, every talent I can apply leaves me helpless with my problem. Then I remember to cry out “Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad” and my Heavenly Father’s heart is stirred by the desperation of my cry and He comes to my help. The Father heart of God is tuned to my cry! “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart and saves those with a humble spirit.”