It had been a long and trying day where nothing went the way it should. I must have corrected the kids every five minutes. After refereeing fights and cleaning up messes all day, I was exhausted, irritated, and impatient.
Sitting at the dinner table that evening, it was my oldest son's turn to give thanks. When I heard him say, "And God, could you please help Mommy to be patient with us?" I realized I wasn't the only one affected by our difficult day. I was part of the problem.
Parenting is hard. But as I've learned, it is hard for a reason. God is in the process of making all things new, including our hearts. He is pruning, weeding, and tilling the soil in our hearts to make us increasingly like Christ. One day, His work will be complete, and we'll see the breathtaking result of His refining work in us. The weeds will be gone, and our sin will be no more.
That day when I came face to face with my sins at the dinner table, I count it as grace. Time and again, the gospel of grace covers my sin, bringing me back to the cross of Christ. Jesus knew I could never be a perfect mom. He knew I couldn't respond to my children with love and grace at every moment. He knew I'd have days where I would fail.
And that's why He came. At the cross, He suffered for every time I am impatient, for every time I fail to teach and train my children, and for every time I don't love them as He loves them.
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