This morning I've got Humpty Dumpty on my mind... (LOL) Perfect analogy for those of us that have been (or are) prodigal kids...(Yes I did say kids ;P) Humpty had a great fall (or maybe he actually had many mini-falls kept getting right back up on that "wall" and falling again...) and no one could put him back together again. I think that perhaps Humpty didn't want at that time to be put back together. Or MAYBE he needed to be at a point where he finally said, "Okkkaaayyy.. I get it. What I'm doing, how I'm walking, what I'm feeling is NOT working for ME." Maybe when he finally got to that point of - "Okay Lord, I can't FIX this myself." The LORD was able to put Humpty Dumpty back together again. "Not by power, not by might, but BY MY SPIRIT" says the Lord.(Zech 4:6) The thing is - Humpty had to reach the lowest part of his walk. He had to WANT the Lord to put him back together. Maybe Humpty went for counseling, maybe he went to doctors. All of which is a good thing. But what made Humpty "get up on that wall" in the first place. What made him sit at the very edge? What happened before his fall? If he hadn't been up there in the first place - he wouldn't have had a fall, would he? Sometimes we allow ourselves to go down a path of temptation. Not heeding any hesitation we may have we think we are "strong enough" to handle anything that comes our way. But the Lord has told us "With every temptation He will provide a way out." (1Corinthians 10:13)
As a prodigal daughter - and for those of you who know my prodigal ways you know I am not a hypocrite. I recognize were I am, where I need to be. Its just that in certain prodigal situations making that journey back home to the Father is a step by step process. Its not easy to do. And although I can only speak for my own situation - sometimes the answers are not as cut and dry as to someone who is not in a prodigal moment in their walk thinks it should be. That is why I say if you know of someone who is at a prodigal moment in their walk - be gentle with them. Especially if you see that the Holy Spirit is convicting them or they are doing a slow 360 turn back to the Lord. Critiquing or criticizing or yelling at the brother or sister in Christ who is going through this type of period will not be conducive to bringing them back to the Lord. I know that if someone yelled at me or critiqued me even using the Bible as their source - I would have become indignant, angry, willful and it would have delved me further into backing away from brothers and sisters in Christ. Restoration can be a slow process. And in saying that once again I say - I am NOT condoning sin. But I am saying that God knows the situation - He does! And he knows the heart of the person BETTER THAN YOU. So if you want to help (and I speak from experience) restore gently!! You can be firm and gentle at the same time. LOVE THEM. PRAY FOR THEM. Sometimes us prodigals are in a state of confusion, our lives upheaval. Sometimes we really don't know what the answer is because we never expected to find ourselves in the situations we are in. But know this - and know this well - the Bible tells us "that when we are weak we are strong!" (2 Corinthians 12:10) and for those of us who know our Word you can pretty much bet we've beaten ourselves up with it (or the devil has!) but also I truly believe that for me - and I don't have all the answers. I can look at what I am learning, what I have learned - and it is this. Through this prodigal experience I've been humbled, I am more compassionate. I am less "judgmental" (I will leave all judgement to my Father who is in the place to judge righteously knowing each individual intimately). I am more tolerant and I can walk in forgiveness quicker. I know that any good inside of me is only that of the Lord.
So you see? Who has received the glory from my weakness? The LORD. And it has made me stronger - and don't be deceived - I'm "STILL" walking back home to my Father. I'm not there yet. I hesitate, take a step back and then two steps forward. I don't have all the answers - but the one I DO have is I know that I am saved by Grace. I know that my God is merciful. And yes - I know right from wrong according to my Word. But it isn't as "cut and dry" as I once thought it was. I am at a point in my walk where I have to ask myself what brought me to the point of "prodigalism" (a word I made up - grinz but I know the meaning). There is/was something lacking in me. Something I tried to fill. And you know - that seems to me like a "piece" so with Humpty - all the pieces that needed to be put back together may have been different things. Some physical, some of the "heart", some of "his past" some of "his circumstance." Its no wonder that all the kings horses and all the kings men couldn't put him together again. What he needed (and STILL perhaps needs) is the Lord. YOU can't do it. I can't do it - but we have a God who can. And when "Humpty" reaches a point where he can cry out - "Abba Father!!!" The Lord WILL begin to do it. In His time - not ours. And the "putting the pieces back" - may take a period of time. That's not up to us - its up to God. So what can you do? PRAY - PRAY - PRAY without ceasing. BELIEVE and GIVE THANKS. Because the God that we serve is in the restoration business - and maybe - just maybe - he's allowing you to either experience or see this "prodigal moment" to increase your own faith.
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