I recently read a story about a child that wanted her parent’s help with her homework.  When she told her dad she couldn’t do it, she held out the paper and expected him to write the correct answers for it.  The author of the story drew a parallel between the father in the story and our Heavenly Father.

I found the analogy difficult, however, and have thought about it often since then.  The father in the story took the homework and wrote the correct answers because his daughter asked for help.  Does our Heavenly Father do the same?

There have been times when I wanted God to do my homework.  But usually when I ask for something like that – this is too hard, please do it for me – God responds by telling me he will not.  How would I learn or grow if he took over whenever things got hard?

Instead, God invites me to sit down beside him as we work on the homework together.  He rarely tells me the answers.  He encourages me to figure things out myself and promises to give me his strength, wisdom, and guidance.  My Heavenly Father explains things until they become clear to me.

God never does my homework for me.  But he reminds me of my gifts and strengths.  He reminds me that I am a capable person with a good brain, created by him.  And he wouldn’t give me this particular problem if he didn’t feel we could work it out together.

Loving and beloved Father, help me learn what I need to know.  Thank you for the gifts you give me.  Help me to use them in your service.  Thank you for your strength and wisdom that you so willingly share.  Although I would prefer you to do my work for me, help me to willingly do my homework and learn the lessons I need to grow.  Amen.