I’ve been struggling in several areas of parenting lately. Times when I don’t know what to say any more. Times when I don’t feel like saying what I’ve already said 88 1/2 times before. The 1/2 time being, I start saying it and then just stopped because I am so tired of hearing myself say it. Can you relate?
The other day as I was sitting with my youngest having a heart to heart, momma to son talk about the use of our words I just felt weary. And I thought to myself how many times am I going to have to continue to say this during this training period? I’ve just said it this week and last and every one before that since he learned how to talk.
As I sat there I was just tired of this repetition. Tired of doing (AGAIN). And I felt God in his sweet gentle way just drop this verse into my heart.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9
The easy route would be to give up. But who said life was easy? Parenting is certainly not easy. God never promised us easy. But he did promise strength for the day.
Reasons not to give up:
1.) My kids need me.
Kids need consistent examples in their lives. They need a faithful example of what it means not to give up when things are difficult. If they see me me giving up easily they will be just as likely to cave under pressure. I need to be committed to training them in all areas. Manners, kindness, life skills, getting along with others and in their faith.
2.) God expects my best.
When God blessed me with children he didn’t intend for me to give half my heart. He didn’t give me a job that he thought I would be sort of be good at. He didn’t think I would be great at it some days and horrible on others. No. He gave me a job that he knew I could handle. He gave me a job to stretch my limits of what I thought I could handle. But he knew I could take it on.
3.) Training not only for them but for me.
I’m convinced after parenting for 11 years that I still have every bit as much to learn through this long training process as my children. We all want to learn in life. Whether it’s in the kitchen to cook, in the job field to advance or in our marriage so we can grow more in love. Just as my children are a work in process so am I. Some of my life’s big lessons come from training my children.
I was reading in Exodus this week about Moses pleading with Pharaoh to let God’s people go.
“But I will make Pharaoh’s heart stubborn so I can multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in the land of Egypt.” 7:3
“And once again I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will chase after you. I have planned this in order to display my glory through Pharaoh and his whole army. After this the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord!” 14:4-6
As I thought about what God had said. “So, I can multiply my miraculous signs”… and “In order to display my glory” I thought of my parenting woes. Something stuck a cord within me. I realized that through all the difficulty that comes with parenting my children there can be miraculous signs. In order for God to display his glory in and through my family I may face difficulty.
I’m not talking about miracles of parting of the red sea and the miracle of delivering his people against the odds of Pharaoh. I’m talking about everyday miracles. If I can train my child up in a way that pleases God that child can in turn go out into this world and share the gospel, minister to people, encourage strangers, pray with the hurting, help the lonely, sit with the dying.
These are miracles my friend. In training my child I am helping to train a future generation for Christ’s good work. So I will not grow weary.
What do you do to take a stand against weariness?
Love and blessings,
Melanie
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen says
There is no harder job than being a parent. And I find parenting a child changes a lot as they get older so I am constantly learning. Teenagers are so hard to parent! When they’re young it’s fairly easy to know the right thing to do, but as they get older and start living their own lives and making their own choices, it’s so much harder.
Melanie says
I agree Christin. When they’re little we’re facing with plenty of trying moments. But as they get older it’s so much harder to give grace and trust when they’re bound to make mistakes. Thanks for stopping by!