As a mom, when my kids mess up, it pains me especially when my child experiences pain as a result of those mistakes. My emotions want to take over at times like these. Anger wants them to feel the full force of their choices, while sympathy wants to step in and take away all the consequences. Either way, my emotions try to become the driving force behind what happens next, which rarely ever turns out good!
Before we have make decisions, we should look to Jesus and see how He handled difficult situations when He was on earth.
Jesus didn’t allow His emotions to dictate His actions. We see this in John 11, where Jesus is confronted with the knowledge that His beloved friend, Lazarus is dying. It even says in verse 35 that He was so torn up by this that He wept. Yet, He held His emotions in check. He said that the purpose of this sickness was for God’s glory, so He needed to allow it.
How about me? Do I step back and allow the pain that my child is experiencing to be used by God to bring Himself glory in my child’s life? Or do I try to block pain from coming into the lives my kids, when that very pain could be the very delivery method that the Father wants to use?
I once heard that if my child is going to know Jesus as the healer, they have to first need healing. If they are going to know Him as Father, they have to need a Father. If they are going to know the Holy Spirit as the comforter, they have to need to be comforted.
I have to admit, this is probably one of the hardest things I struggle with. I’m a fixer and as a fixer, my heart cries out to make things right. The prayer I need to be praying is: Lord, PLEASE help me to get out of the way so that you can be the God to my kids that they need You to be.
QUESTION: DO YOU TEND TO SHEILD YOUR CHILDREN FROM CONSEQUENCES? DO YOU STRUGGLE WITH BEING OVERPROTECTIVE?
By: Lynn Cowell
- What Do You Expect? - December 17, 2015
- The Best Time to Make Up Your Mind - November 12, 2015
- Mom – Never Give Up! - October 15, 2015
