Ah, the joys of grandparenting! For the last few days, I’ve been surrounded by the children of my two daughters. But it’s little Layla—just eight months old—who has been eyeing me with a mix of suspicion and frustration.

She can sit up when propped, roll over, and turn on a smile so dazzling that I sometimes wonder whether she’s practicing for toothpaste commercials.

But her frustration with me, is a yellow ball, deliberately kept just beyond her reach by yours truly.

I can almost hear her thoughts, if babies indeed think in sentences: “How could this huggable grandpa, the one who sings silly songs and makes me laugh, be the same villain who denies me my ball?” Her pleading eyes, her frustrated gurgles, her angry fists pounding the air—all tug at my heart. And yet, I don’t relent.

Why? Because I want her to start crawling.

You see, the temptation of that yellow ball is not cruelty—it’s motivation. Each time she stretches her tiny arms, grunts in determination, and pushes herself forward, she’s building muscle. She’s learning persistence. She’s discovering that independence is not handed on a silver platter; it’s fought for—sometimes through frustrated cries and angry stares.

And as I watch her struggle, I realize how much her plight resembles ours. Haven’t we all had goals, dreams, and desires that seem just out of reach? The promotion that doesn’t come. The opportunity that slips away. The relationship that remains distant. We cry out, plead, stare at the heavens, asking: “Why, God, why keep it just beyond my grasp?”

I believe, just like I’m doing with Layla, God too is teaching us something. To stretch beyond our comfort zone. To build spiritual muscle. To grow persistent, patient, and resilient. To learn that independence comes not from being handed everything we want, but from striving, failing, trying again, and finally—moving forward.

The scriptures says in Romans 5:3–4, “We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.” How true! It’s in the frustration, the struggle, the stretching for what seems just out of reach, that character is built and hope begins to shine. Just as Layla will one day crawl, then stand, then walk—so too we grow stronger when life keeps the “ball” a little farther away.

So, my dear reader, maybe that “ball” of yours is still out of reach. Maybe it feels unfair, even cruel. But before you give up, consider that you’re being trained. The frustration you feel is not a punishment, but preparation.

And the day you finally hold that ball, you’ll not only treasure it—you’ll realize you’ve gained something far greater: perseverance, character, and hope.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think Layla is giving me that look again. The one that says, “Grandpa, today’s the day I’m getting that ball—whether you like it or not..!”

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