Craig Clouston

 The Chair and Tuesdays

January 25

I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

Psalm 4:8

I had noticed the chair but hadn’t asked about it. It sat just to the right of the headboard of her bed, close enough that she could reach out and touch it. The story she shared was from her soul. “That chair’s been sitting right there since 1984. That’s the year Bill died. I put it there so I could talk to him. I sure do miss him. I never really got over losing him, you know. I was angry at God for a while, especially about Tuesdays. It was a Tuesday when Bill died. The following Tuesday, Bill’s best friend died. The week after that, my dog died, and the week after that, Mom had a stroke and died fourteen months later on a Tuesday. I hate Tuesdays!”

She shared her pain with me that day, and I understood; we all have things we get angry at God about. Even the most God-fearing people get angry at God from time to time. She finished by saying, “I’m not angry at God anymore, but I still hate Tuesdays! Now the chair is there so me, Bill, and God can all spend time together; then they don’t feel so far away. I sure miss Bill.”

†

We have a God who knows our pain, every wound of our heart. He knows every thought, too. So He’s not surprised when we finally admit that we’re mad at Him for one reason or another. He has enough love and patience to hear us out, walk beside us, or carry us when that’s necessary. He knows all our faults and waits us out, hoping our rebellion will end so He can lead us into deeper understanding.

God’s desire is that we bring Him the burdens we weren’t meant to carry. He always meets us where we are and accepts any advancement in His direction.

Prayer

“Abba, forgive me for my unrepentant anger. Help me want to give it all to You. I struggle with forgiving others. I feel it’s my right to hang on to the pain. Help me understand what Jesus meant when he taught the disciples, ‘And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.’ In Jesus’ Name, amen.”