I am thankful for every day that the Lord gives me with my children. However, not every moment is a walk-in-the-park filled with roses. No, much of my day is spent disciplining and working with a certain 2 year old who is disobedient, rebellious, selfish, and VERY good at the whole temper tantrum thing.
But this is not about a 2 year old little boy. (He is dead in his sins and enslaved to them until he comes to know Christ.) This is about a sinful mommy who has been greatly humbled by her own sin when these difficult situations surface in her home.
With each act of defiance, I am quick to lose my patience. The thoughts of my heart go something like this, "How dare he!" or "Why doesn't he ever do what I want him to. do?" My flesh is always ready to be angry, resulting in a response that is neither godly nor focused on truth. It is sin.
But with each of my sinful responses, God has graciously brought this verse to mind:
"The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love." ~Psalm 103:8
Before Christ, I was a disobedient enemy of God. I was rebelliously running away from Him as fast as I could while never looking back. But because Jesus Christ both obeyed perfectly and died in my place, I can know God's abounding, steadfast love. He is so merciful and gracious to me no matter how many times I mess up. He is slow to anger; patient with this mommy for whom Christ died. How can I respond in anything but that same love for my own children?
So even though these days have been full of challenges, I am thankful because God has used them to crush my sin and drive me to the cross.
Becky,
ReplyDeleteI am right with you! A book that I reference over and over is The Heart of Anger by Lou Priolo. It divides anger into sinful and righteous categories, with subcategories in sinful complete with Scripture references and ways to pinpoint it and deal with it. A dear lady who had been through some of what I have in motherhood wisely told me 'Scripture is sharper than a two-edged sword' and that I can use Scripture when dealing with anger. Sure enough, quoting what the Lord says even to a very small child does miraculous things (and it helps me so much on areas I didn't know I would have needed for myself)! Thanks for the post! :-)