how to know what to do.

Last week, one of the boys I was nannying came home from school with pink eye. As he rubbed it and complained that it felt like there was something in it, I soaked a washcloth in water and gave it to him to hold over his eye. After about 30 seconds, he asked how long he had to keep it there. Then, he wanted to know if he could put the washcloth down.

After a minute of him asking follow-up questions, I realized he wasn't just being an impatient 6-year-old. He wanted to know what was going on and if I forgot about him as he sat on the couch with a washcloth over his face.

What am I doing here?
How long does this take?
When can I be done?
Is there something else I should be doing?

"Sarah?"

"You just keep holding it there," I told him. "That's what you do. You can stop if you want, but it will be better for you if you keep holding it."

The truth is, he could do whatever he wanted. He could listen to me, or he could not. The only thing I needed him to know was that what I told him to do, and keep doing, was for him and not just a pointless task or a game of let’s see how long he can hold it for.

A few weeks ago, my pastor preached basically the same message. She said it like this: "God's saying, 'Go back to the last thing I said.' And realize that [you] need to trust that He is working on [your] behalf."

So often, I go to God like this kid came to me. Like He forgot He asked me to do something. Like I've done the thing for as long as I think I should. Like I'm ready to move on and ready for Him to tell me what’s next.

What are we doing here? How do I know what I’m supposed to be doing?

But I already know. He already said it. I just have to keep doing it.

And that's it. What's what we do. We go back to the last thing He said. We keep holding what He gave us. And we trust that it will be better for us if we keep going that way – that He’s working on our behalf.

And when it's time to move, He'll tell us. He won't let us miss it.

But until then – what was the last thing He said? Do that.

The power of God is in you, even on a Thursday.