Weekly Reflection | Be Careful What You Wish For

A childhood memory has lingered with me for years, even though the details are hazy.

I used to watch Are You Afraid of the Dark?, and there was an episode focused on the concept of being careful what you wish for. I can’t recall the exact plot — but I remember the impression it left on me.

Someone made a wish.

And it didn’t go as they anticipated.

Not because the wish was inherently bad — but because the result unveiled a lesson they weren’t ready for yet. Often, the wish made them face something they already possessed, something they hadn’t fully valued, or something that required maturity before it could be appreciated.

That theme has carried into my adulthood.

Wishes, Prayers, and the Hidden Work Behind Them

As we age, we transition from calling them wishes to calling them prayers.

This is where the meaning becomes deeper.

There’s a saying I’ve often heard that rings especially true:

We ask God to make us strong — and He presents us with situations that require strength. We ask for courage — and He places us in moments demanding bravery. We seek patience, wisdom, compassion, love — and we find ourselves in circumstances where these traits are tested, refined, and developed.

God doesn’t simply give us character; He shapes it.

And frequently, the journey appears quite different from what we envisioned when we first made the request.

That’s why “be careful what you wish for” isn’t a warning — it’s an invitation to awareness.

A Wish I Made Long Ago

Once upon a time, I made a very simple wish.

I wished to be a good mom.

Present.

Involved.

Dedicated.

Loving.

Nurturing.

Patient.

And over the past three and a half years of motherhood — more than four if we include pregnancy — that wish has been fulfilled in ways I never could have anticipated.

It came with experiances that tested my patience. Moments that stretched my emotional capacity. Seasons that demanded strength I didn’t know I possessed.

And when I chose to have a second child? I sometimes joke that God was gently asking, “Are you sure?” 😅

Because two very lively little boys running around will quickly show:

• How grounded you are (or aren’t)

• How regulated you are (or need to be)

• How much self-care is necessary to show up well

  
  

This wish didn’t just bring me joy — it brought responsibility, growth, humility, and an ongoing commitment to becoming better, not just doing better.

Grace in the Granting of Wishes

Here's what I've come to understand: God doesn't fulfill wishes indiscriminately.

He knows our limits. He understands what will challenge us without breaking us. At times, He postpones or alters the course because the timing, our current self, or our support system isn't prepared yet.

When wishes are fulfilled, they often come with effort. But they also come with grace.

A Gentle Question to Carry With You

As you reflect this week, consider this: What is a wish you once made that led to personal growth or turned out differently than you anticipated?

Not as a regret.

But as a revelation.

Sometimes the greatest gifts don't come as comfort — they come as transformation.