Do you remember those words? If you’re like me, you heard them time and time again from mom and dad as they followed up your inquisitive “why?” At first I didn’t question them further. I just accepted the fact that they were the parents and that was enough. But as I grew older, “because I said so” just wasn’t good enough to motivate me to do anything anymore.

So now, as an adult, I am learning how to respond to this phrase all over again. This time from my heavenly father. Even though obedience is still something that I am working on, I had an experience a bit ago that brought this familiar phrase to mind once again.

After intense prayer and planning, our executive team knew we had to cut 4 staff positions. We prayed through the timing and put together a plan to move forward on Monday, January 5th. None of us wanted to do it. But the leadership team had already cut 600k from their budgets the first half of the year and we knew that even if we continued to cut expenses at that rate it still wouldn’t be enough.

That morning we met offsite one more time to pray… and as I got into my car to head into the office my conversation with God went something like this…

Lord, why are you making me do this? You know I would rather cut off my right arm then face these wonderful, committed team members and deliver this life-altering news. I do not want to do this. Please give me an excuse to turn this car around. Why me, Lord? Why us?

Simply put, this is the response I heard in my heart…

Because I said so.

And it was tough. So tough it has taken me weeks to even post this blog. I still wish I could have changed things. I still wish I didn’t have to deliver the news to my colleagues. But as difficult as it was, I have learned a lot in the days and weeks since then – that I need to stay really close to my Father during good times and bad. There is no replacement for spending time with Him and in His Word.

He speaks to me through His Word and through His Spirit – I just need to take time to listen. So I’m trying to create some space in my life to hear Him – just Him. Pray that I can find it.