Overwhelmed by My Blessings: Encouragement for Moms (Part 4)预览

Kids are great at adding pressure to our day. All the questions, all the needs, all the conflicts. Life sure was easier before God added these blessings to our lives.

When siblings conflict, our mama antennas quickly rise like a red flag. We want it to stop! Now. Especially before it becomes physical, which it can, even when our children are young. The world calls this “sibling rivalry.” I like to think of it more as normal human relationships. Every relationship has conflict. All relationships would be easy if it weren’t for the people! We chuckle at that statement, but we know it’s true.

As moms, we find ourselves repeating ourselves over and over again. “Get along!” “Stop hitting your brother!” “What am I going to do with you two?” “Will it ever stop?” “Go to your room!” We ask the same unanswered questions and fire repeated commands, and it seems nothing changes.

During Jesus’ years of ministry, He repeated himself over and over, but never with one-sentence commands flung in desperation. He took time. He sat people down and had a chat with them. His stories were repetitious--about the same issues: loving God and loving others. He repeated himself to people who just didn’t get it, but he didn’t quit saying it. He just took a different tack, tried a different way.

He set a good example for us, saying what needed to be said in quiet, calm, creative repetition with love, not in screams and orders. He taught them by example. As moms, we are faced with the very same issues today that we dealt with yesterday. We are weary from repeating the same words to deaf ears that just don’t get it. We feel like broken records.

Here’s the thing: Only God can change a heart. If words changed a person’s heart, all my kids would have been perfect!

Mamas, keep correcting in love, but more often than you speak, keep modeling a calm and quiet spirit. Take a minute to compose yourself and settle your nerves. Model apologizing by asking their forgiveness when you lose your calm, and teach them to apologize to one another. Role-play a repeat of the heated scenario, asking for calmer attitudes and voices. Just don’t fall apart and give up! After all, how many times does the Bible tell us “do not fear”? And yet…..

Today, begin taking the time to sit your kids down, not for a lecture, but a sharing of life, and love and relationship. Pray with them and over them. Pour out your heart to God right in front of them. It won’t be wasted time.

Don’t just say it; model it. Don’t just say it; pray it.

Father, I admit, I lose it way too often when my kids conflict. Please help me make margin in my day to spend the time necessary to train them, teaching them your love and your ways in creative non-lectures. Help me to listen to my own words as they flow from my heart, checking for lack of patience and kindness, but most of all, help me not to be a hypocrite of my own words. I pray for a glimmer of your presence in my kids’ hearts, showing me I am on the right path. Give me boldness to pray in front of them, making you the center of our day.

Consider reading these scriptures from The Message.

Overwhelmed by My Blessings:100 Days of Refocusing Your Heart

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If you have enjoyed this devotional check out part 5 here!