Water Balloons and Whales

Today, or rather, this evening I was filling water balloons. Why is not very important, my job is a camp counselor and because of the heat we need them, so I needed to make a lot. This post isn’t going to be about water balloons though, well, it will be but I hope that isn’t the main point you get out of it. Yesterday I filled up about 80, today I made 155 in half the time. No this isn’t a math problem, I filled the balloons up yesterday with a sort of squirt gun, but upon seeing it broke I first threw it (yeah, not my best moment) then looked at the hose, which had a “jet” setting perfect for filling….water balloons. So, why bore you with this story? Well, I got to thinking, lately I’ve faced some disappointment in my life. I’m the kind of guy who likes to make a plan and follow it, if things don’t go right I get thrown off, who doesn’t right? Then, as I filled my water balloons I realized something, maybe what I really need is to step back and approach things in a new way. Maybe my way is the wrong way, the tedious way, and God’s way is better. Not just faster or more successful but more fulfilling, more of what I need. I just finished Jonah, and one thing that jumped out is that Jonah basically said “Nah God, I’m going my own way, thanks but no thanks.” God’s reply couldn’t be clearer, and sometimes I wish a whale would swallow me when I make the wrong decision. But that doesn’t happen, I live a good hour from the coast, and God isn’t always that clear. I get so wrapped up on “doing the right thing” when maybe instead I should focus on listening to and obeying what God has to say, think about it, will He ever tell me to do the wrong thing?