no pacifiers

"God is also not accustomed to giving his children pacifiers to keep them quiet so they’ll forget they need him and then leave him alone. Sadly, sometimes when we pray we think God ought to give us the pacifier we’ve requested. We know that the thing we’re asking for is less than God, but we still want it because it will make us temporarily happy.

All I want is some peace and quiet.” I too easily forget that God is the one who quiets my soul. When my soul is quieted within me, it doesn’t matter how much noise is going on around me. I too easily forget that God is my peace. When God is my peace, then rockets could be going off around my house, my husband’s health could drastically decline, and I could lack a single moment alone, and still be at peace.

When God mercifully strips us of our idols, he has in mind to give us something better instead—himself.

Gloria Furman, Glimpses of Grace