Let me also try to convey to you a more personal example, Kramer.
For years, thru first a sex-starved marriage and then eventually my wife's affair and deceit (and our near-divorce), I used to pray -- yea, CRY OUT -- to God to save me. Rescue me, from the pain of my wife's lack of affection, from the pain of her betrayal. "Change her heart" I used to BEG of Him. "Cause her to _______, and to see ________." That sort of thing.
For like 15 YEARS.
Through the pain of our sitch in 2007-09 -- pain that I wouldn't intentionally WISH on ANYBODY -- there did come a lot of personal GROWTH, for both of us. And a big part of that growth for me was finally realizing that maybe GOD WANTED ME TO DO SOMETHING, and not just cry out to Him.
Slowly, I rediscovered my center . . . my very integrity. And I fought -- I fought for my wife and for our family, with every ounce of my being. I learned to confront, to establish and enforce boundaries, to protect myself financially and legally and NONE of that came naturally to me. STILL doesn't. By nature, I'm am a classic pleaser/"Mr. Nice Guy" type believe it or not. But I kept getting this picture of the joke about the guy that is on the roof of his house, in the rising flood waters, and God sends the three boats -- do you know that one? Look it up.
Sometimes, you gotta DO something.
Do Something Song by Matthew West
I woke up this morning Saw a world full of trouble now Thought, how’d we ever get so far down How’s it ever gonna turn around So I turned my eyes to Heaven I thought, “God, why don’t You do something?”
Well, I just couldn’t bear the thought of People living in poverty Children sold into slavery The thought disgusted me So, I shook my fist at Heaven Said, “God, why don’t You do something?”
He said, “I did, I created you”
If not us, then who If not me and you Right now, it’s time for us to do something If not now, then when Will we see an end To all this pain It’s not enough to do nothing It’s time for us to do something
