Find Your Peace
I don’t know how you feel, but there are days when I do my best to hold on and pray that bedtime comes soon. I have an 8-year-old and there are days that the 15th time she asks me, “Mom, what are you doing?” I almost lose my mind.
I read somewhere that I only have 520 weeks left before she graduates the day she starts third grade. That is both inspiring and exhausting to think about. I want to be a positive influence for her but when she reverts to some four-year-old behaviors, it makes me a LOT crazy.
Are we like that with God? Do we ask the same thing of Him when we pray? “Dear God, what are you doing? Please heal my _______.” I take great satisfaction in knowing that His patience is much greater than mine.
How can we find that patience for our children the way that God has patience with us? It starts with the ability to give yourself grace. I work on this regularly. When I find myself verbally beating myself up, I stop and remind myself that His grace is sufficient. Here are some reminders that have helped me. Maybe you’ll find something useful here too.
Find a sounding board in the form of a friend, a co-worker, a relative, a journal to write down your thoughts, or prayer. Start somewhere! As women, we often take comfort in sharing our problems with someone, yet we don’t want to bother anyone with our problems. Let your friends hear your concerns! They might have similar worries on their hearts.
Our days with our children as “children” are so short. If your child lives with you for 18 years, only about one-quarter of their life is spent living with you. I thought about this a lot on the way to work today. If we are trying to live our BEST life, does it really make sense to worry about or be upset about that 16th question of the day?
Be mindful of God’s infinite patience for us, His children. He listens to our repeated queries of “Why?” and patiently waits out our faith “temper tantrums” when we don’t get our way. He just keeps helping us grow.
Read your Bible. I know this is easier said than done. I am not even trying to pretend that I do this regularly. But when I turn my eyes on what God has laid before me versus what the world has laid before me, it puts things in perspective.
Here are some scriptures:
Romans 12:12, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
Ephesians 4:2, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”
Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Ecclesiastes 7:9, “Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.”
Marla A. Boring
Women’s Ministry Director
