One Good Thing

By: Beth Massey

“Your Heavenly Father already knows all your needs.” Matthew 6:32

We were headed out to start our day. Praise music on the radio. From the backseat, my youngest child Holden said, “Mommy, I miss Jesus. I wish he were here instead of in heaven with God.” Too precious, right? What a great opportunity to share Jesus’ assurance found in Matthew 28:20: “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” But that only got me so far. You see, Holden is my black and white child, so I knew what was coming next. “But Mommy, how can Jesus be here and in heaven too?” Wasn’t sure he’d grasp it, but I explained that Jesus sent his Holy Spirit to be with us here on earth, invisible but very real. Three guesses what my matter-of-fact child asked next. “Where Mommy? Where is the Spirit? Where is Jesus?” Before I could answer, my oldest child Garett said, “Holden, don’t you know? Jesus lives in our hearts.”

I’m tearing up even as I write this, so sweet was that moment for me, and so desperately needed too. The first thing I will say is that I love my children beyond my power to express in words. They are beautiful, unique, smart, funny and so much fun. But perfect angels? No ma’am, not even close. They fight, they backtalk, they push boundaries, they whine. Parenting! It’s equal parts pleasure and pain, right? On the days when pain tips the scale, my inclination is to blame myself. Why are they behaving this way? What am I doing wrong? The answer is simple: they are CHILDREN. They are growing and so am I. It’s a learning process for parent and child. I’m not always going to get it right. But when I do, it sure would be nice to see the tangible evidence of it. A little pat on the back. A high five. Something…

One good thing. That’s really all I need. JUST. ONE. GOOD. THING. One bright spot in my day. One true, deeply felt moment of connection with my children. One assurance that, despite all the times I feel like I’m flat-out failing at this parenting thing, I am doing something right. Amidst the running late to school, juggling homework with soccer/basketball/baseball practice, packing lunch boxes and making (or ordering) dinner, taking temperatures and doling out allergy medicine, stepping on Legos and breaking up fights, refereeing bath time and herding the kids like cats into bed, I need to know I’m not just drowning in a sea of mom-chores. 

My Heavenly Father knew my need that day. Sitting there, waiting for the light to turn green, I had no idea I needed assurance. I didn’t ask for it. But what He gave me was more than I could ever ask or imagine. It was a giant fist bump from the backseat of my car. My one good thing that day was not just anything, but assurance of THE only truly important thing – that I am raising children who know the love of God and know that the Son of Man lives within them. If I get a million things wrong in this life, I will be at peace knowing this is the one thing I am getting right. Praise God.

Has your one good thing revealed itself today? I believe God will reveal it to you, even if you haven’t prayed specifically for it. Open your eyes wide to seek it. Open your heart to receive it.