Daily Devotional – Tuesday, October 4, 2022
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth.
Psalms 127:4 (NKJV)
During one of my most challenging experiences, I felt frustrated because God had severally ‘sabotaged’ a project I was eager to accomplish. God kept pulling me back every time I came close to my dream.
Like Arrows in the Hand of a Warrior
Months later, as I prepared for a family life seminar, I came across a verse that gave me clues on my frustration. In Proverbs 127:4, Solomon writes, “Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are the children of one’s youth.” (Psalms 127:4).
Why does God compare children with arrows? Because parents must pull their children back before launching them towards the target. When parents instruct, guide, reprimand and inflict pain on their children, the young ones feel like their parents hate them.
Preparing the Arrow before Releasing It
However, the further back the archer pull the arrow, the further forward it will land and hit the mark. Similarly, the more time a parent spends with the child, teaching him or her the value of sacrifice and delayed gratification, the higher the chances of success for the child.
Back to my situation. I realized that God was pulling me back for a reason. Every frustration and denial led me back to my knees. I wrestled with God in prayer, seeking for explanations. On many occasions, though, God did not give the answers I demanded, but my faith and sense of dependence on Him grew.
An Arrow in God’s Hand
Today, with the benefit of hindsight, I know I was and remain an arrow in God’s bow. To prepare me for the glory ahead, He often teaches me practical self-denial, fervent faith in Him and perseverance. This is not a pleasant experience but it is necessary.
If you feel as if God is frustrating your plans and delaying your progress, remember you are an arrow in God’s hand. When He finishes preparing you, by pulling you back, He will release you, and you will hit the target – your divine-ordained destiny. Your future will be vastly different and more superior to your present.
Prayer
Thank You, Heavenly Father, because I am an arrow in Your bow. Teach me patience and self-denial, and increase my faith and trust in You, even as I wait to reach my temporal and spiritual destinies.
