There are two excellent articles by these titles written by Rachel Jankovic, I believe. I'm not going to rehash all her thoughts or try to echo them in my own paraphrase. But I highly recommend them to any and all willing to read them, as they will certainly orient your mind and heart toward what in the world God was thinking when he designed this excruciatingly wonderful and hard role. It truly is on this side of Glory a "being given over to death for Jesus' sake" on a daily basis, which we will see on the other side of Eternity was just a "slight momentary affliction. . .preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison" (2 Cor. 4:11, 17).
My dear, patient husband spoke a word of encouragement to me last week about an area in which he has seen some improvement in my responses since coming back to India. I have a huge tendency to complain at every jolt and bump, aka inconvenience, change in scheduling, and generally anything I wasn't planning, that rock our family's little boat. I felt so hopeful hearing that he saw the Spirit of God working in me to conform me more to the image of Jesus in complaining less, but knew then and certainly now that there is still much room to grow. All that to say this: something I am learning in this role as Mama is that I cannot control things. And I think the slow apprehension of that truth is what is freeing me to complain less and enjoy life (and my children) more. How this works itself out on a day-to-day basis is that when I experience the frustration of a baby or toddler not sleeping or eating or obeying. . .again. . .for the ___th time that day, I recall by the Spirit's enabling that my wrath doesn't work the righteousness of God, God is with me enabling me at that moment to respond, and that these moments are actually speed-of-light fast in their fleeting nature in the grand scheme of Eternity. I have a moment--just a moment--to enjoy/teach/shape these little ones. If God is God over my joy and theirs, He is also God over our suffering and hardships, sovereignly allowing them through His kind hands. And what He has chosen for me to walk through for the day I should not complain about. I have the choice to rejoice in Him at that moment, remember that He is always good in the gifts that He gives (or withholds--like a nice, quiet, productive naptime), and give my children grace instead of griping. That is what my Heavenly Father gives me over and over again as His child, and by His grace and enabling I can, as Mama, show my little ones His image as I bless them with the same.
My dear, patient husband spoke a word of encouragement to me last week about an area in which he has seen some improvement in my responses since coming back to India. I have a huge tendency to complain at every jolt and bump, aka inconvenience, change in scheduling, and generally anything I wasn't planning, that rock our family's little boat. I felt so hopeful hearing that he saw the Spirit of God working in me to conform me more to the image of Jesus in complaining less, but knew then and certainly now that there is still much room to grow. All that to say this: something I am learning in this role as Mama is that I cannot control things. And I think the slow apprehension of that truth is what is freeing me to complain less and enjoy life (and my children) more. How this works itself out on a day-to-day basis is that when I experience the frustration of a baby or toddler not sleeping or eating or obeying. . .again. . .for the ___th time that day, I recall by the Spirit's enabling that my wrath doesn't work the righteousness of God, God is with me enabling me at that moment to respond, and that these moments are actually speed-of-light fast in their fleeting nature in the grand scheme of Eternity. I have a moment--just a moment--to enjoy/teach/shape these little ones. If God is God over my joy and theirs, He is also God over our suffering and hardships, sovereignly allowing them through His kind hands. And what He has chosen for me to walk through for the day I should not complain about. I have the choice to rejoice in Him at that moment, remember that He is always good in the gifts that He gives (or withholds--like a nice, quiet, productive naptime), and give my children grace instead of griping. That is what my Heavenly Father gives me over and over again as His child, and by His grace and enabling I can, as Mama, show my little ones His image as I bless them with the same.
No comments:
Post a Comment