To get a glimpse into the patience of God which we truly can’t fathom- we can look at the things which test ours and multiply those by billions. That’s how we humans test his. And He has been hanging on for thousands of years! Can you even imagine this?! I can’t.
Currently 2 of the 4 kids in my house are bickering and picking at each other.
I’m as annoyed by the one responding with squawks as I am with the one who started it to begin with.
Not in reason, but in emotion.
Logically I know that the one who started it is ultimately at fault, but my sense and emotions are affected- my serenity is interrupted- by both of them equally.
All I want is for them to treat each other kindly, consistently.
Eventually even seeking to be a blessing instead of a pest.
But they’re kids and they don’t get it.
(To be fair, it’s not as bad as when they were littles. And comparatively, it’s not bad at all. But it was still a moment that taught me something and I wanted to share.)
To God we are still kids.
We just don’t get it.
I believe Hs would like us to want to get it—
to understand why He wants us to get along, and to aim for that- His pleasure.
To try to at least.
But often we don’t.
We act in emotion.
We respond in emotion.
Sometimes intentionally
and sometimes reflexively.
He corrects us.
He also affirms us when we do well.
Now, I can barely manage this with my 3 kids.
I can’t imagine my friends with 6 or 8! 🧠
And mind blowing is thinking of God’s multiple generations of children, billions upon billions of them! 🤯
Have you ever seen a mom with even 2 or 3 kids who isn’t getting ruffled during 5 minutes of chaos?
Doesn’t it seem amazing- her grace?
I actually told a mother at preschool pickup this week how much I admired her patience and grace. It was impressive. Her kids were super chaotic, and she kept her calm so well. And it was so “not the norm” that I took notice— even though the whole episode lasted only about a minute or two.
God’s grace is absolutely, incomprehensibly amazing.
We can’t even begin to fathom it.
But here’s something else He brought to mind just now-
The next time you get frustrated with YOURSELF because you messed up again and you see how you’ve been a brat (again and again and again)…
…and the enemy tells you that you’ve tempted God’s patience? And you feel guilty about that. So you pull back…
…because you know you’ll most definitely, (even if you try not to)!keep messing up, and you know He doesn’t deserve that…
…so you pull away, bit by bit…
…and maybe you don’t even know you’re doing it, but eventually you can feel the distance even before anyone else can see it…
When that happens, to get back into His good grace again, we must stop looking at our own behavior for a moment and start looking at his face instead.
My own grace increases (even if only slightly) as I age.
I don’t get AS ruffled about all the things with kid 3 because kid 1 did the same things and he is mostly over it.
I know there’s light at the end of the toddler tunnel.
And in faith I can believe there’s light at the end of the pre-teen/teenager tunnel. (Although again, I’m pretty blessed with them.)
But God is different-
He CAN’T be tempted.
The Bible says it in James 1:14
“When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone…”
If grace can increase with age, consider-
He’s aged beyond the universe.
He has ALL the experience.
Nothing existed before Him
so nobody can be more experienced at this than him.
If seeing the light at the end of the tunnel brings more patience, consider-
He IS the light at the end of the tunnel.
(And the beginning of it!)
He KNOWS that we are going to get past this earthly- age too.
It’s just a stage.
Our behavior.
This Earth, even.
We are going to get through it.
HE is going to get us through.
And our kids too.
And KNOWING that brings the calm I need within the chaos of my mom-with-kids-at-home age. (Which again is a blessing, and this post is for perspective and to pass on His peace, not at all to imply that I’m still exasperated or am meaning to complain.)
Here’s the prayer He flowed out of my mouth as I surrendered the moment to Him:
“God, give me YOUR grace and patience for this moment-
all the moments, big or small-
because I don’t have much at all of it
(It’s why I feel annoyed to begin with).
But my faith is big enough that I know you give virtues, just like forgiveness.
We don’t have to have our own supply outside of you.
You lend us a spoonful of sugar at a time,
when life is too bitter…
too sour…
or even too blah.
You sweeten it up.”
Mommas-
Sometimes when I want to jump right away to assigning time outs, I first have to allow myself to take a timeout with Him instead.
Can anyone relate?
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