Getting what you want but not in the way you want it

Have you ever wanted something really badly? Maybe it was the latest gadget or an amazing pair of new shoes? It could have been something bigger like a great job or a life-changing opportunity or to be noticed by the person who made you weak at the knees? There are often things in life that we look at and long for. Desiring new, or seemingly better, circumstances isn’t wrong and it can help us have a sense of purpose as we try to attain or achieve those goals. However sometimes our wishes aren’t always realised in the way we would like.

I live in a part of the world that has been suffering from a severe drought. Dangerously low dam levels and strict water restrictions have left the local population fearful for the future and desperate for rain. This week the people got their wish. It rained – a lot! The national weather office has said that the storm that brought the rain is the worst we have seen in the last 30 years. The severity of the storm meant that all the schools were closed and we’ve experienced flooding, damage to buildings and sadly injury and death to some of the population. Social media has been buzzing with people complaining about the storm and bemoaning its inconvenience, but we still had rain!

Sometimes what we wish for the most may seem like a great idea but in reality the consequences that come with getting our hearts desires may not always be to our liking.   We can’t always know what the cost will be but in order for your life to be different things need to change and the change on the surface may not be very appealing.

When Jesus came into the world, people were looking for someone to save them from their circumstances. Society wanted someone to change the way things were and make everything better. Jesus did that, but not in the way they wanted. They wanted someone to change the political state but Jesus wanted to change the state of their hearts. Still today society wants peace, hope and to find purpose in life. Jesus provides all these things, but they aren’t necessarily wrapped up in the way many expect.

Just because something doesn’t come in a convenient package or look the way we want doesn’t mean it’s not what we need.