My family and I recently stopped at a Wendy’s restaurant late on a weekend evening and all got treated to the delectable dessert known as a Frosty!

As we sat inside the restaurant partaking of the frozen deliciousness, I couldn’t help but marvel at the dedication and devotion mixed with pure lunacy that my 8-year-old son used as he devoured his treat. You see, he would consecutively scarf down four to five heaping spoonfuls in a period of about 10 seconds. After this occurred, he would then proceed to sit there for about 20 to 30 seconds holding his head as the brain freeze ran its course through his 55-pound frame.

Now, please understand that his father is not immune to such madness either, as I have experienced many a good brain freeze and was on the verge about a half dozen times that evening as well.

The difference between how we handled ourselves lied in our response to our continued action. When the warning signs began to show, I slowed down and ate more deliberately to counteract what felt like the cryogenic process beginning to take place inside my head. My son, however, chose to not proceed with as much caution, instead taking another four to five spoonfuls the very second that the previous cycle wore off. The agony inside his head would quickly return and he would then attempt to grab his noggin again and wait for the freeze to pass. This series of absurdity played itself over and over until the entirety of the treat was inhaled.

The funny thing is, without even asking the question of why he didn’t slow down in eating it, I already knew the answer. First, he is an 8-year-old boy and only has one gear to do things. Second, he is slightly deficient when it comes to genetic composition on his father’s side. Third is that he doesn’t care and isn’t looking for a different or better way – he is single-minded and laser focused when it comes to eating ice cream. Unfortunately, he hasn’t realized yet that there might be a better way to attack this task.

Do we tend to do the same things in our lives, both in our personal and faith journeys?

When we don’t get what we think we need from God, do we ever feel the need to slow down or stop and think about why? Why do our prayers go seemingly unanswered? Why is there so much chaos and conflict in our lives? Why doesn’t the world seem to make sense? Do we realize that there is often a better way for us to live the lives for which we were created? I only ask because we oftentimes keep doing the same things while hoping, praying and expecting different results.

James 4 talks about submitting to God, not only in the things that we struggle with in our lives, but also in the things that we love. If we want to be lifted up in the presence of God, we need to first humble ourselves and submit our wants and needs to Him and rest in his peace. Verses 2-3 state the following: You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

Why do you ask God for the things that you do? Are your requests based upon your glory and justification or His? Do you view your life and circumstances through an earthly lens or an eternal one? Do you always know what’s best for yourself, or is it possible that God is guiding and directing your life for a greater purpose than you see?

If we are honest with ourselves, we would probably admit that there are many aspects of our lives that, if given good introspection, would reveal they are grounded in our own selfish wants and desires and not a Biblical or Godly worldview.

The question is, do you have the courage to look long and hard and ask if maybe, just maybe, you are eating the ice cream just a little too fast and need to find a better way?

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Finding Faith is written by area pastors. This week’s column comes from Rev. Scott Garman of Cedar Heights Brethren in Christ Church, Mill Hall.