“Your family is so interesting!” I hear these words all the time. I am not quite sure if it is the six children, the fact that my husband left his career to follow God’s direction, our family band, or a combination of it all! Somewhere along the way we just became “interesting.” I remember during my husband’s residency days he would say, “You never want to be the case we all think is interesting.” Somehow I feel we have become that case!
In our world, there are lots of people who have a family band. We can go to the grocery store, to church, or out to eat and be surrounded by people in the music industry. We have now been a family of 8 for almost four years, so that seems normal to us. My husband hasn’t worked as a doctor in so many years that I often forget he is one, although I am occasionally reminded when someone calls to ask him a medical question. He then uses all sorts of medical terms that he doesn’t use on a daily basis!
Over the years this life has become our “normal,” so I forget that much of it is “abnormal” until someone points it out!
As I reflected on that thought this past week, I realized that our “normal” can cause us to forget things. For example, my youngest struggled for the longest time to walk. Weekly we took him to physical therapy where he was harnessed and placed on a baby treadmill. The treadmill simulated the foot motion of walking. Eventually, he was able to walk with a walker. Now he is able to climb stairs and can walk almost anywhere he wants. This summer he even began to swim with a float! If I am not careful I forget all the days I cried and prayed, wondering if he would ever walk on his own. I forget how God answered the prayers of our family. Why do I so quickly forget? One reason is that I became used to our new “normal.”
While on earth Jesus faced the same battle with familiarity.
In fact, it was the reason he could not heal in his hometown. (Mark 6:4-5) The people of Nazareth had become so familiar with Jesus that they failed to believe.
Sometimes I wonder if the same has happened in my own life? Have I become so familiar with the bible that I fail to slow down and let God reveal his truth to my heart? Have I become so accustomed to always having food and clothing that I fail to recognize it is really God’s daily provision? Do these thoughts of familiarity hinder what God is wanting to accomplish in my life?
Remembering what God has done in the past helps me to be confident in the future. Taking time to reflect on the goodness of God helps the “normal” of my life not seem so normal. I again begin to see it as God’s incredible plan and realize his daily provisions and answered prayers!
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