Love does not demand its own way. This is a truth that the Lord is working on burning into my heart. Over the past month, I have been meeting with a mentor, a woman who I love and respect SO much. At one of our first meetings, Michele and I talked about my struggles with parenting a toddler. The first question she had for me was, "Jamie, when you are mentoring your children, do you encourage in righteousness, or demand?" OUCH!! That really hit me at the depths of my core. As I searched my heart for the answer to that question I realized that in every area of my life, I often demand my own way. More often that not, I nag Blake in a quest for him to act the way that I WANT him to, or to treat me the way that I WANT him to. When, I discipline Tyler, I seek results that I WANT, and use punishments that are convenient FOR ME. That's not love!! After all, 1 Corinthians 13:5 says, "Love DOES NOT demand its own way." After a good talk with Michele, I had some blinders taken off of my heart and a big shift in thinking. I now understand that demanding MY WAY is not going to accomplish anything but frustration for everyone in my family. The only person whose actions I can truly control are my own. So, the best way to affect my husband and children is to model righteousness for them, to seek the Lord in all I do and allow my actions to speak for themselves. Another scripture that has new meaning for me is Ephesians 6:4. It says, "Fathers(and mothers), do not exasperate your children; instead bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.". Reading this with a new set of eyes shows me again, that as long as I am seeking MY WAY, I'm not being the parent God has called me to be. Instead, I must run towards the Lord with my kids and train them in what is good and true through my actions. This is definitely still a struggle for me, but it is a battle with my flesh that I am happy to fight! I am SO thankful for the wisdom of a godly woman who has been down the path ahead of me and is willing to share her heart to help me grow!
The day that I made the decision to sit down and begin my moral inventory, will forever be etched into my heart. It was a cold and dreary winter day, much like the state of my spirit. In all honesty, I was DREADING the task at hand. Who in their right mind would want to make an account of every painful memory from the past as well as every sin committed against others?!?! As I sat down at a Starbucks with my favorite flavored coffee beverage in hand, I began praying Psalm 129:23, “Examine me, O God, and know my mind; test me, and discover…if there is any evil in me and guide me in the everlasting way.” I knew that there was pain from my childhood buried so deep that only He would have the power to bring to the surfaces. For so long, I had masked and/or stuffed the wounds in my life, rather than allowing Him to heal them. Within minutes of my prayer, the memories came pouring down like the rain I could hear outside. Just a little side-note, if you ever decide to take a painful j...
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angelag@crosstimberschurch.org
I have a question for ya!!!!
Thanks and blessings!!!!!!!
I've enjoyed reading this. It IS so tough to do what Toby has always said, "Let go and let God." Being a mommy is tough stuff, it's too bad no one can nail down specific instructions!
Keep in touch, girl. Miss you!