Story Time!

There once was a little girl who wanted with all her heart, a pearl necklace. It just so happened that her birthday was coming up... She begged and begged her parents, day after day, for a pearl necklace, till finally the day of her birthday arrived. She opened all her presents eagerly, hoping to find the pearl necklace. She looked around once more, but alas gave up dismayed... Then... her daddy pulled a small package from behind him, and handed it to the the little girl. Her heart thumped wildly... Could this be the pearl necklace she had dreamed about day and night? She leaped up with excitement, and gave her daddy a giant hug! This had been the BEST birthday ever, because she received her dream.... a pearl necklace.
Well.... a couple of years went by, and this little girl continued to treasure the pearl necklace as if she had just received it. She wore it almost everyday, and kept it underneath her pillow every night. Eventually this pearl necklace began to look very old and worn out, but the little girl hardly noticed. Then.... one day.....
Her daddy came to her and asked "May I have your pearl necklace?"
The little girl wasn't quite sure what to say..... Was her daddy serious? Then, again he asked very solemnly, "May I have your pearl necklace?" The little girl couldn't believe her ears. Her daddy knew how much she loved her pearl necklace, how could he be so uncaring as to ask her for her precious pearl necklace? Her daddy softly said I'll give you a little bit to think about it." The little girl cried, then prayed, and cried all over again. Then she new what she should do.... The little girl walked over to where her daddy sat and held out her hand to him, the hand that held the little pearl necklace. "Here you are daddy." She watched as her little, worn out pearl necklace, slipped softly into her daddy's pocket. Then suddenly, her daddy reached into his other pocket, and drew out something beautiful and shiny..... A new beautiful and genuine pearl necklace. It glistened and shone as the sunlight gently hugged it. The little Girl exclaimed with tears running down her cheeks, "Oh Thank you daddy! Now I know why you wanted my old and dirty pearl necklace."

Story adapted from a Bright Lights conference illustration 

I think we can each identify to this little girl (whether male or female.)
How many times do we stubbornly hold on to what is, to us, the most wonderful thing. Then, when God asks for it, we feel like an injustice has been done. We think.... "He knows how much I love it, He Himself gave it to me, and now He's taking it away!??? But finally we yield, and the moment that we place our wants, needs, desires, and our seemingly perfect dream in his hand. Then that is the moment he reaches out and gives us his perfect, and beautiful dream.

Isn't God SO good?

Isaiah 55: 8-9

 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.