I love my kids. Each day they are a reminder of how blessed I am AND how messed up I am. I believe God speaks to me through my kids more than anything else. Kids are definitely a GIFT.
This morning I’m praying, I’m reading from the book of Judges, I’m attempting to get my heart right, to connect with God and start my day off right…all the while my kids are sorta getting ready for school. Food’s on the table. Planners are signed. I’ve done MY part (so I tell myself), now it’s up to the kids.
So, here I am, praying, occasionally peeking at the clock, periodically yelling upstairs to spur my kids along and OF COURSE getting frustrated. Legit frustration? I think so, but I’m good at lying to myself. I have certain expectations for my kids in the morning (I wrote about it here in case you missed it). I expect them to wake up, get dressed, come downstairs, eat, brush their teeth, etc. etc. I expect. I demand. I push. I do anything BUT lead and encourage.
What I came to realize this morning is that my relationship with God is much the same. God knows what’s best for me. He sees the absolutely best route I could possibly take in my life and He even attempts to guide me along it, but I do my own thing, make my own decisions, make mistakes, ignore His advice. Sound familiar? I realize this as I call for my oldest for the 8th, 9th, and 10th times to come downstairs…
THEN he comes downstairs wearing pajama shorts…um, son, you’re going to want to change your clothes. Putting on pants then takes another 10 minutes (I’m thinking it should’ve taken 2 minutes tops). Then he comes downstairs without socks on. He’s moving in the DIRECTION I have in mind for him, it’s just not how I imagined it. He’s going WHERE I want him to go, it’s just intermingled with detours and in his time. Ultimately, he gets to the table to eat, fully dressed, ready to go.
He’s where I want him to be. I should be happy, right? I should tell him “good job,” right? Yes, but I don’t. I point out all the things he did wrong or “wrong” according to my expectations. Instead of seeing my son where he is, as he is, I’m still stuck back when he wasn’t quite listening, wasn’t quite doing WHAT I wanted, HOW I wanted, WHEN I wanted. I need some lessons in parenting from my Father in heaven.
Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.
Micah 7:18-19 NKJV
God does not retain His anger forever.
God delights in mercy.
God has compassion on us.
God will cast ALL our sins into the depths of the sea.
I need to no longer dwell in frustration. I need to delight in mercy and compassion. I need to cast ALL shortcomings far FAR away and learn to celebrate where my kids ARE (no longer focusing on how they got there or how long it took).
What’s God saying to you?
This morning I’m praying, I’m reading from the book of Judges, I’m attempting to get my heart right, to connect with God and start my day off right…all the while my kids are sorta getting ready for school. Food’s on the table. Planners are signed. I’ve done MY part (so I tell myself), now it’s up to the kids.
So, here I am, praying, occasionally peeking at the clock, periodically yelling upstairs to spur my kids along and OF COURSE getting frustrated. Legit frustration? I think so, but I’m good at lying to myself. I have certain expectations for my kids in the morning (I wrote about it here in case you missed it). I expect them to wake up, get dressed, come downstairs, eat, brush their teeth, etc. etc. I expect. I demand. I push. I do anything BUT lead and encourage.
What I came to realize this morning is that my relationship with God is much the same. God knows what’s best for me. He sees the absolutely best route I could possibly take in my life and He even attempts to guide me along it, but I do my own thing, make my own decisions, make mistakes, ignore His advice. Sound familiar? I realize this as I call for my oldest for the 8th, 9th, and 10th times to come downstairs…
THEN he comes downstairs wearing pajama shorts…um, son, you’re going to want to change your clothes. Putting on pants then takes another 10 minutes (I’m thinking it should’ve taken 2 minutes tops). Then he comes downstairs without socks on. He’s moving in the DIRECTION I have in mind for him, it’s just not how I imagined it. He’s going WHERE I want him to go, it’s just intermingled with detours and in his time. Ultimately, he gets to the table to eat, fully dressed, ready to go.
He’s where I want him to be. I should be happy, right? I should tell him “good job,” right? Yes, but I don’t. I point out all the things he did wrong or “wrong” according to my expectations. Instead of seeing my son where he is, as he is, I’m still stuck back when he wasn’t quite listening, wasn’t quite doing WHAT I wanted, HOW I wanted, WHEN I wanted. I need some lessons in parenting from my Father in heaven.
Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.
Micah 7:18-19 NKJV
God does not retain His anger forever.
God delights in mercy.
God has compassion on us.
God will cast ALL our sins into the depths of the sea.
I need to no longer dwell in frustration. I need to delight in mercy and compassion. I need to cast ALL shortcomings far FAR away and learn to celebrate where my kids ARE (no longer focusing on how they got there or how long it took).
What’s God saying to you?
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