A shout escapes my lips as I rush into the house. “MO-OM, can I go to Cathy’s house”? The door bangs behind me and my words sift into dead air.
A muffled voice shouts back but I have no idea where it is coming from. I skid across the kitchen floor thinking for sure I will find mom in here. NO MOM! I run upstairs as fast as my legs will take me and almost run into my mom who is waiting patiently at the top.
Out of breath and with an air of impatience, I ask the question again. My body stands ready to flee believing the answer will be “yes”.
Seeking permission with impatience for an answer filled my growing up years. Rushing in and out and shouting for mom kept me busy, but taking the time to ask before doing was a measure of respect. My parents taught me that you don’t do and ask for forgiveness later. You take the time to ask permission believing your parents know best.
Many years later, the lesson of seeking permission is still on my radar. I am not granted a free pass because I am now an adult. Instead, I find I am looking for empowerment and affirmation in the act of making certain decisions. My parents are no longer around to ask, but my Heavenly Father is ready to answer my questions.
[Tweet “Asking permission looks like seeking empowerment and affirmation when making decisions”].
God doesn’t require us to ask permission first when going about our lives. He gifted us with free choice and knew that this will lead us either closer or farther away from Him. But as His child, I desire to lean in to not only what He has chosen for me, but what is best for serving His kingdom.
When I process through the lens of God’s eyes, I’m granted a clarity that does not come from my own understanding. In the place of resting in my identity as a child of God, I learn that saying “yes” in obedience is the best thing I can do. God then takes my “yes” and grants His permission in the form of His Spirit residing in me. Relying on the Holy Spirit comes with provision, strength and power.
Lessons on Seeking and Finding Permission
~ Hearing the voice of God through others provides affirmation and guidance when seeking an answer.
~ Sharing your deepest heart murmurings with God allows Him to work in you to make them a reality.
~ Giving yourself time to listen for God’s answer after asking permission, allows for God’s perfect timing.
~ Trusting in God fills you with the freedom to walk out the “yes” or “no” without hesitation.
~ Granting yourself permission to be broken is hard, but when you do you find release & compassion.
~ God decides who we are and when we seek our story in Him, we are chosen for the best team.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
May you find yourself seeking God daily knowing that He has chosen you for the best team!
Seeking God,
This is so good! I was right there when you ran in the house and went looking for the, “Yes.” It took me awhile as an adult to realize that I needed to ask God for permission. Especially when I got an idea – I’d get so excited about it and jump in right then. It took me a while to realize that I needed to check in with him – and see if it’s the right thing! This post was a sweet blessing to my day! Thank you, Mary!
~Maryleigh
It is a sweet blessing to have you visiting me. Thank you for your kind encouragement and affirmation. I love to go full steam ahead with new ideas but God’s way is always the best. I just need to stop and listen to Him first.
Hi Mary! That patience thing…it’s so hard for me. I think I do a lot of yelling after God until I find him in prayer and then just assume he’ll agree with me. But really the key is quiet meditation on his will, which might not be what I want at all.
He wants what’s best, his mercies are renewed everyday. That’s a great springboard to trust!
Blessings,
Ceil
Since I was a teacher I always prided myself on being patient. I am learning when it is waiting for something involving me or my family I don’t do very well at remaining patient. I pray we focus on what God has for us and when we do, it will certainly be good. Hope you have a blessed week!
I love the picture of you seeking out your mom to ask her, Mary. Giving myself permission to be broken is a hard one for me, too. And I’m still a work in progress in trusting and giving myself time to listen for God’s answer. To just be still, so I can hear His answer instead of racing ahead with my own wants and answers. Thank you for all your encouragement! Love and hugs to you!
I love that God loves that we are still a work in progress. I hold onto that because I make so many mistakes along the way. Giving ourselves permission to be broken and messy is one of the hardest things we do but it provides such a place for healing. Thank you for blessing me with your sweet words of encouragement. Blessings and hugs!
Oh yes, resting in that identity as a child of God and waiting on Him to guide you and me is how we find the best in life, just like you found when your parents guided your young steps, Mary. Love your thoughts here and the images of obedience that you painted for us today. Hugs to you, my friend!
I am learning that our relationship with God and others all starts with knowing who we are as a child of God. He chose us and we can rest in that promise. Everything else flows from this and should make it easier on us. Childlike obedience looked like quickly asking and hoping for an answer. There was not a lot of patience involved. As an adult we are faced with waiting often in the process but God still provides answers to our questions. Blessed to have you here!
Blessed encouragement today, friend. “Giving yourself time to listen for God’s answer after asking permission, allows for God’s perfect timing.” this is the hard one, isn’t it? Waiting on Him. But the lessons learned and blessings that follow are always worth it. Thank you for being faithful here every Sunday, Mary. Blessings on your Sabbath!
I feel like I am always waiting on God’s timing, but if I really pause and think about how God works in my life, I know this to be true every time. It has always been worth the wait and God provides just what we need when we need it. Thank you for blessing me by stopping by June!
I am finally living my way into a relationship with God in which I don’t chafe at that all important reporting relationship. I love this childhood memory and always enjoy hearing about your little girl days.
Thank you Michele! I love pulling from childhood memories to help me when I’m writing. It’s nice to know that we do get to a point that we understand our relationship with God on a level that doesn’t leave us rushing in and out of the house like we did as children. Hope your week is blessed.
My life verse, love the bulleted truths!!
I’m glad to know that Proverbs 3:5-6 is your life verse. You cannot go wrong with that at all. Blessed to have you here today Jennie!
Mary,
Great Truth here today! Oh how quick I am to shoot a request at God and then be ready to run off in my pre-determined direction. May I have more patience to WAIT on His answer and to lean on Him and not trust on my own limited understanding. Much needed reminders today!
Sabbath Blessings,
Bev xx
Sometimes we think if we ask, we don’t need to wait for the answer. Oh how nice that would be but that’s not God’s reality. I was always quick to rush in and quick to rush out again with my mom, which she did not always appreciate. God wants us to slow down and know that He is working to answer us in His perfect timing. Hope you have a blessed week!
This is so good! I am so glad that I can seek God daily.
We are blessed that we have the freedom to not only seek God but worship with Him. Love you friend!