I have been thinking about parenting a lot lately, as in the past 7 1/2 years. I know, hard to believe coming from a mom of six kiddos, but it's true. I came across this article today on DesiringGod.org and it spoke to me in such a strong way, I had to share.
"Children are a blessing from God (Psalm 127:3, 5)...We understand that sometimes in God’s economy, blessings are not served on a silver platter. They are good — wonderfully good — but it’s not a microwavable good. It’s more like the long, tireless trek up a mountain, the kind that makes you stop and question whether you’ll actually make it, but when you do, fills you with a deep contentment only possible at the altitude in which you stand."
This explains so much and informs every decision you make as a parent. Being a parent is not easy, 5 minutes on the job will convince you of that!
"This calls for a shift in our perspective as parents. If we go into the work of parenting with a Precious Moments romanticism, it won’t be long before despair sets in. It’s just too hard if we think it’s going to be easy. It’s essential to know, especially when the going gets tough, that we are fighting hell."
As parents we are not wrestling again flesh and blood (Eph. 6:12), it is not our children who are the enemy. We are wrestling against the Enemy of our souls, who is seeking to devour us and our children (I Peter 5:8). He isn't out to mess with us, pester us or make things inconvenient. He is out to kill us; to take our children from us, to lure them away from God and kill them too, one by one. This isn't a friendly game, where we shake hands at the end and say "good game!" This is not even a "to the pain" match. This is for all the marbles, this is to the death.
Thankfully, we know that we have God on our side; that those who are fighting with Him and for Him will win. But only once we leave this earth. Until then, we fight and we fight without ceasing, on our knees and in our day to day lives.
Read the rest of article here and be blessed and encouraged in this fight, my friends!
