Strong-Willed Children

I haven't had a chance to blog this week...or maybe I haven't thought of anything worthy of sharing. Two nights ago we had a particularly difficult night with our daughter and I remembered another devo I'd written some time ago. I am tacking it onto the end of this post. As frustrating as she was Tuesday night, she can also be amazingly thoughtful and funny! We were talking about Easter and the real reason behind Easter. I asked her if she remembered what Easter was all about and she said, "No, what is it?" I reminded her Jesus died on the cross and she somberly said "Oh yeah, He diiiiieeeed" But when I asked what happened on Easter Morning she joyfully proclaimed "HE WAS ALL BETTER!" :o) Give thanks today that through His death and resurrection we can be made "all better" with God.

Strong-Willed Child

My daughter Anna is one of the sweetest and funniest little girls I have ever met. She is also one of the strongest willed! She is 3 and it seems each day is filled with some new battle with her. She rarely complies the first time I tell her to do something. My request is either met at the least with questioning, and at the most, with defiance. Tonight after a lengthy battle to get her to stay in bed (a nightly ritual these days) I couldn’t help but imagine I must be getting a tiny taste of how my Heavenly Father feels at times.
How many times have I cried out to Him asking Him to help me? And how many times have I continued on in my sinful rebellion? I beg Him to deliver me from the burden of obesity, and He provides a way for me to have a surgery that gives me this wonderful tool. What do I do? I find ways to eat around it and defy it. I cry out to Him that I can’t do it alone, and the next time that desire to soothe myself with food strikes, I ignore His quiet urging to rely on Him.
And yet as frustrated as I get with my daughter, I am still overwhelmed with my love for her. That love is what drives me to continue to teach her to be submissive and obedient. Not because I wish to dominate and rule over her, but because her life would be so much easier if she would learn to heed our advice and teaching.
How much more does the Father love us? How many times had Israel turned their backs on the Father? And yet look at an example of His incredible love in this promise not only to them, but to you in Zephaniah 3:17:
“The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."
WOW! How amazing is that? The God of creation sings over ME? Over you? How incredible. As many times as I beg Him for help, and then defy the very request I have made, and He still loves me that much. You are His crowning creation. Don’t be afraid to accept the help you ask for, the help He so readily offers. When we ask Him for help, imagine He is extending His hand toward you. Climb into it, Dear One. Allow Him to quiet you with His love. When you find yourself afraid, frustrated, tired, wondering if you will make it through this battle, through this journey, rest in Him. He takes great delight in YOU!