Mommyhood - Lessons in Training

Have you ever prayed for patience? I have several times and take my advice unless you are really serious about wanting to be more patient and willing to allow God to expand your patience through various experiences, don't pray for patience. However, if you know what your are getting into and are ready for the training time, go for it.

So let me explain. I have prayed for patience on many occasions and every time I have, God is always faithful to give me ample training opportunities to increase my patience. Be it with every light being red while I am driving, or every child wanting me right now and then there are the days when every activity is actually a disaster waiting to happen. If I pray for more faith, God doesn't just increase my faith but allows me to go through an experience (or more) that causes me to need more faith than I thought I had. Same with anything else I have ever prayed for, I don't just receive it, I learn it. Lately God has been teaching me patience through the baby. She is very determined to do things her way and I am learning to be patient and persistent in teaching her to do things, well, mine. I am also learning trust. God is teaching me in so many ways how to just trust that He has everything taken care of already, no matter what the circumstance looks like from my lowly perspective. He is the Great I AM. And is capable of so much more than my mind can fathom.

I want my kids to have obedience, I have to give my kids opportunities to obey in order for them to become more obedient. When they are not obedient, they receive discipline and correction so that next time they will remember to obey. I am training Baby G to stay on a blanket on the floor when I put her on it. The benefits of this training is that I can go anywhere and put down a little receiving blanket and she will know that if I put her there, she is to stay and be content. We practice at home so that she will learn that there are times when she needs to stay. This week I realized that God sets up training sessions much in the same way I set up training sessions with my kids. I am training my kids to be productive, respectful little people who will grow up into productive, respectful adults. Just as God is training me in every aspect of my spiritual life. If I didn't train my kids, then they would be very unruly and if God didn't train me, then I would never grow closer to Him and I would not be happy. A well trained child is a happy child I believe. I have more joy the more I walk with Jesus and the closer I grow to the Lord.

As I travel through these adventures in mommyhood I am seeing so much more how the Lord loves us and is raising us up spiritually. I ask the Lord to open my eyes to what he is trying to teach me so I can be more aware of Him throughout my day. Sometimes I pay more attention than others but my prayer is that I will constantly see the evidence of Him in everything, even while I am doing the dishes.

Proverbs 16:20 (NIV)

"Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the LORD."

Ephesians 6:1-4 (NIV)

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother'—which is the first commandment with a promise— 'so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.' Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."

Philippians 2:12-15 (NIV)

"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe"