My Lesson

This seems to be my area of struggle because God keeps on giving me the same lesson over and over again. I start out so peaceful, tranquil, hopeful and ministry minded, only to eventually hit a wall of despair. This time the endeavor was baseball for both our boys, ages 3 and 5. Everything is so exciting, practice is fun, the boys have a great outlet and Tanner actually makes contact 95% of the time when he hits! His cousin is on the team as well and they love it! I’m getting to know the parents and am really prayerful about opportunities for good conversation.

It’s amazing how a good idea can quickly turn into an absolute stress disaster when you are running late for the first game, have four kids in the car with one overtired 3 yr old and its pouring out with no one around to help to carry bags and helmets plus one cranky 3 yr old. Then there’s entertainment of my cranky one while the others are playing so I miss half the game while teaching sharing toys with other children around. And on it goes.

It does not matter whose fault it is in any stressful situation (although we like to camp there), but what choice am I going to make? Be on time for a game by yelling at the kids and misrepresenting God to them or choosing the way of love and possibly being late. Blaming others and complaining to people or honoring God by holding my tongue.

The end result, no matter how good or godly, does not justify the ugly way we got there. It is so much like the world today. I saw a coach slap his son across the face at the game because the 5 yr old was so exhausted after playing 3 games in a row, he didn't want to get back out on the field. We won all three games but "what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?” (Luke 9:25)
It's a lot more subtle for us Christians, but we do it too. I confess, it happens even on our way to church sometimes! We are so close to getting there on time, we can make it if I can only allow my flesh to help by yelling or threatening kids into obedience.
Even the enemy tried to tempt Jesus to take a shortcut to glory to gain what the Father had promised would be His eventually.
"Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.”(Luke 4:5)
But that's not the way of obedience to the One we say we love.

I’m beginning to believe God always has a lesson for me in the middle of the one I’m thinking I’m teaching my boys. When kids don’t cooperate, I have a choice to make and my lesson begins. “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man."(Mark7:20) It shows me and others around where I live; in the flesh or in the Spirit. God already knows, He just wants me to see where I am and come to Him for help. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”(Matt 7:7)
If I blow it by misrepresenting God in my reaction to the situation, it is wiser to focus my attention on my issue and deal with it than blaming the kids. Why? Because the word says “ first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (Matt.7:5) I must understand that I am a fellow believer walking and learning alongside of them. And if our children are not saved yet, even greater reason not to misrepresent our loving and merciful God! One day we want them to receive Him.

Today I’m really grateful for the trials the Lord allows through my children. He wants us to see how we are getting where we are going or even if we are still on a journey with Him or simply doing our own thing. It will quickly be evident in our families.

So what is your reoccurring struggle? What keeps coming up and are you still making excuses or blaming other things? It's your lesson God wants to help you with. I want to encourage you to scratch any parenting formulas pertaining to your area of struggle and just walk with Jesus! Daily and in close communion because those who do don’t need formulas but are naturally filled with Gods Spirit that makes us aware. We are so blinded to our own sins that unless we allow the Spirit to search us daily and show us, we cannot see it, let alone be free. Just be with Him daily and we will continue to be transformed, from glory to glory until He returns or takes us home. Amen

“If we live, it’s to honor the Lord.” (Rom 14:8)