Old Toys in the Attic

Picture an old attic, like the ones we see in TV shows and movies. An attic that is large and filled with decades of memories, laughter, and sadness. One that has crumbling cardboard boxes and white sheets draped over antiques. There is a window at the far end and located perfectly for a stream of golden light to enter, highlighting all the dust floating in the air. As one moves through the attic each step creates an old-wood creaking sound and a small puff of dust comes from beneath each step. Faded photos of relatives past are in frames leaning against the boxes and also spewing out of faded photo albums. In the corner underneath a hodgepodge of albums, worn out books, and a broken lamp, is a large box with a faded label of “TOYS” written on the side. In it is a wide variety of toys: simple wooden ones, metals ones with chipped paint, and plastic ones broken and cracked. One thing is clear that these once-loved toys who have years of memories, are left forgotten and each year closer to their final purge. 

Sometimes I feel like one those toys. A toy who feels broken and can’t do what all the new toys can do. The new toys are wonderful but as an old toy and semi-broken, it’s hard to keep up with them. Therefore, my question is simply this: what do broken toys, feeling like God has failed us, and God’s personality all have in common? I’m so glad you asked! 

I’m guilty of whining and complaining when my prayers don’t get answered. I’m coming up on 10 years of significant health issues and I sometimes feel like my prayers aren’t being answered. I’ve seen some of my other prayers answered but the weight of the prayer for my health is not being answered and that overshadows the prayers that are. Sometimes it feels like I’m not being heard. I’m sure most, if not all of us, feel or have felt this way in our lives. Loved ones pass away, illnesses, bankruptcy, hurt, anger etc., and no amount of prayers seem to make a difference. Sometimes in our humanness, we feel as if God has failed us. He’s failed at healing our broken hearts, broken lives, and our hurts. Why doesn’t He answer our prayers? Or, sometimes the bigger question is, why doesn’t God answer the way we think He’s supposed to?

There are many dangers to that question but the main danger is we want God to act human in which He only sees the short term, the here and now like we do. As humans we have no knowledge of the future. For me, why do I have to go through all this pain, surgeries, and issues? Why couldn’t God heal me either through medicine or a miraculous healing? Why not the miraculous healing so all could see His power and might? I don’t know, but I do know this — If God did heal me long before now, people wouldn’t have looked at my life and my faith, and said, “You’re an inspiration!” As I’ve gone through Dale Carnegie classes, I’ve mentioned my faith and the many difficulties I’ve had. There have been times where people have come up to me and said, “Thanks! You’ve encouraged me,” or “I wasn’t going to mention my faith, but you sharing yours has given me the courage to share mine.” Sometimes I don’t feel like that inspiration others see because I’m just trying to make it through the day. But as I’ve shared my life, I pray for God to use my circumstances as a direct arrow pointing to His almightiness, His strength, and His love. 

God sees the ultimate plan; He knows the future. To expect Him to answer our prayers how we want them to be answered would be wanting God to think like a human. Can you imagine God acting like a human? A human who expects and demands perfection, not forgiving arguments, or having so much hatred for another who thinks differently than himself. What about this — as humans most of us are looking for the “next best thing,” the new shiny item, the most luxurious model. We don’t want to be outdated in our clothes, our technology, our homes, etc. We look forward to the next big thing that makes our lives seem more important or easier. Then when we do get our shiny new object what happens to the old one? It gets thrown away or packed away in boxes to gather years of dust in the corner of the attic. Imagine God having that mindset with us. That would be scary, wouldn’t it? If He acted like a human, He would answer our prayers and help us as long as we are perfect or performing like we should. But what happens if our battery can’t hold a charge as long as it could or maybe a piece of us is broken. If He was human, He would maybe try and fix us. If that didn’t work He would be on to the next model, while we would be sitting in the corner, wiping the tears as they fall down our face and gathering dust. 

Thank the Lord He doesn’t think like us and we aren’t those toys broken in the corner. He never gives up on us and He is always there for us. Even though we feel like He’s failing us by not answering our prayers how we want, know that God sees all — the past, the present, and the future. He knows how all things work and answers our prayers in the best possible way looking through the lens of knowing everything. Trust in His love though you hurt. Trust in His goodness, even in the pain. For God works all things — the good, the bad, and the ugly — for good. 

You never know one day, someone could come to you and say, “You know that hard time in your life? Seeing you live through that gave me the courage to continue on” or “Though it was hard, God’s love poured out of you. Seeing you show the love and power of God in spite or your circumstances brought me into a relationship with Him.”

While we all are those broken toys, sometimes physically and sometimes emotionally, we have a loving Father who doesn’t see us broken and something to be boxed up. He continues to love us, fix us, and help us during our most difficult times. All the while through us and our hardships,  He uses us to encourage others. As I’ve prayed to God, “Lord, if I have to go through all of these hardships, please let me encourage others. Please use me to help those who need it the most.” So let me ask you a question. What is something in your life you’re going through, in which you can ask yourself, how can I use this to help or inspire other people?

Keeping the perspective,
Lauren