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“Fireproof” is one of the only firefighter movies we allow in the house… Since it involves firefighters, clean romance, and good humor it’s a family favorite. However, watching “Fireproof” is a little different than it used to be having a real-life firefighter in the house…
Every time I watch one of the Kendrick Brothers movies (“Flywheel”, “Facing the Giants”, “Fireproof”, “Courageous”, “War Room”, and “Overcomer”) I learn a little something different. I’ve talked about this movie a lot in the past. There’s a lot of encouragement about waiting, serving, loving, and following God right where you are.
One of my favorite scenes/lines in the entire film is toward the end. Caleb’s life has been changed by Christ and he has discovered a new love for his wife Catherine. Meanwhile, she is still pursuing a divorce. She’s home sick from work and Caleb and brings her some food and medicine.
Catherine asks him about the change in his life and reveals that she’s found “The Love Dare”. The book that Caleb was given by his Dad that not only changed his life but ultimately saves his marriage. The following conversation goes something like this:
Caleb: “How long have you known?”
Catherine: “I found it yesterday, what day are you on?”
Caleb: “Uh, day 43.”
Catherine: “But there’s only 40?”
Caleb: “Who says I have to stop?”
Aside from that being extremely sweet, romantic, and the stuff I dream about for my own life one day here’s what I’d like to point out: that conversation took place on day 43.
It was only a few days ago that Caleb called his Dad (again) and proclaimed that he was DONE. It just wasn’t working, He was doing what he could but seeing NO results. And this Love Dare was getting hard. Caleb’s Dad reminds him that the Love Dare is 40 days and he had to wait it out, keep praying, and keep doing all he could to show Catherine that he still loved her. He couldn’t give up just yet.
Caleb had to put his whole heart into it. He couldn’t just do it halfway. He was either all in or all out. And he had to choose. Once he decided that he was all in, the results didn’t come overnight. He had to keep praying and keep trying to win back his wife’s love.
And when the 40 days were over and the divorce had yet to be finalized? HE KEPT GOING!
I’m not a very patient person. I want what I want when I want it. And there’s a BIG part of me that wants to find a quiet hidey-hole and snuggle up with a big stack of movies and popcorn until all my prayers get answered. However, that’s not how God works. God wants to grow me during the waiting.
One of the biggest things that I’m learning right now is that even when it feels like I’m praying to a brick wall and my prayers aren’t being answered yet I still have to give life my all. God has placed me right here, right where I am for a reason. I can’t just sit in my hidey-hole until I get what I want, God wants me to be LIVING and doing the most with what He’s given me NOW.
Does learning to be content with where God has placed me now mean that I will never get that prayer answered? No. It just means that between now and then I will be living my life with JOY. I won’t be angry and bemoaning where I am not, I’ll be too busy trying to make the most of my life here.
“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.”
~Colossians 3:23
Until next time,
Bailey Sue
