Still a Child

This morning, as I prepared to sit down and have some one-on-one time with God—you know, pray, read Scripture, pray—I felt like God was really pointing His spiritual finger at my parenting. It was as if He knew (duh! He IS sovereign) I was going to be tested this morning by my children.

He knew my nerves would be trampled.

He knew my patience would wane.

He knew my frustration would rise.

He knew my children would suffer.

It seemed like EVERY verse I read, EVERY bit of Scripture that leapt from the pages of my Bible was directed at my relationship with my children. Today was going to be different. Somehow, something was going to blindside me. God was preparing me. God was reaching out to me. God was offering up some help, “Nick, I’ll drive.”

Each word I spoke was met with deaf ears.

Each plea I made was ignored.

Each action I took was lost in the hustle of the morning routine.

I found myself lost. I felt helpless. Instead of building my children up, instead of sharing a word of encouragement, I decided it was best (at least in that moment) to raise my voice and take an authoritative stance. Why won’t my children listen to me? Why won’t my children do as I ask?

“Nick, you are My child.”

Wow! Talk about a lesson in perspective! How could I possibly EXPECT my children to listen and obey, especially at such young ages, when I, as an adult, am rebelling right beside them?

I was looking inward for strength. I’m a good parent! I can handle this! I was the one with the deaf ears. I was the one ignoring instruction. God warns against this very thing in the book of Jeremiah:

This is what the LORD says: “Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans, who rely on human strength and turn their hearts away from the LORD. They are like stunted shrubs in the desert, with no hope for the future. They will live in the barren wilderness, in an uninhabited salty land. “But blessed are those who trust in the LORD and have made the LORD their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.

Jeremiah 17:5-8 NLT

This is a daily struggle. I convince myself that I somehow know best. I’m ready to tackle whatever the day has for me. The problem is that I get caught up in the “I” and neglect to acknowledge my source of strength. Alone I can do nothing and EVERYONE pays for it.

So, maybe today is the day you need to realize your powerlessness. Maybe today is the day you need to confess your inability to control your words, your temper, your spouse, your children, your job…your anything.

Blessed are those who trust in the Lord.